Emerging Churches and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

The Young Adult Ministry of Fellowship Bible Church 1210 Franklin Road, Brentwood, TN 37027 www.InversionFellowship.org | www.FellowshipNashville.org

By Reid S. Monaghan Notes Emerging Churches and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Table of Contents

Introduction 2 My Story in Brief… 5 Streams of Emerging Churches 9 Emerging vs. Emergent 14 Deconstruction, Deconstruction… What’s Your Function? 17 Helpful Questions 19 Construction – What Should We Build? 27 Concerns … 30 Conclusion 46 Appendix 1 - The Gospel of the Kingdom 50 Appendix 2 - The Reformed Resurgence 58 Endnotes 62

72 Introduction Robinson, Jeff. Engaged by the Culture: Michigan Megachurch Goes Egalitarian One might say that the last decade or so has been a bit interesting in terms of Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, September 27, 2004, evangelical Christianity and its relationship to culture and the future generations in the accessed October 3 2007; Available from http://www.cbmw.org/Blog/Posts/ West. It has been a time of soul searching dialogue and conversation about all manner Engaged-by-the-culture-Michigan-megachurch-goes-egalitarian. of issues. Many have realized that there have been immense cultural shifts in western Stetzer, Ed. Understanding the Emerging Church Baptist Press, 2006, accessed culture which have brought us to a new situation for the life of the church. Gone are the September 29 2007; Available from http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews. days where the Christian faith was the dominant story in the common consciousness. asp?ID=22406. Gone are the days where it could be assumed that most people had their lives, or at least their literary lives, shaped by the stories and text of the Holy Bible. Gone are the days Stetzer, Ed. Church and Contemporary Culture—Always a Challenge Catalyst, when the gospel could be shared with the assumption that there were general shared 2007, accessed October 2 2007; Available from http://www.catalystspace. meanings with terms like God, sin, salvation, Jesus Christ and the kingdom of Heaven. com/content/monthly/detail.aspx?i=1198&m=01&y=2007. This is reality today in many western cultures. Europe and Australia are perhaps further Webber, Robert, John Burke, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt, Karen M. Ward, and Mark down this cultural trajectory, but America is not far behind in its popular conceptions Driscoll. Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives. of Christian ideas. Parts of America, segments of the west coast and the northeast, are Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2007. every bit as secular and post-Christian as Europe. What to do? Intellectuals have long seen these shifts coming, but ideas take time to arrive across Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. the horizons of the masses. Even longer to make it to populations who have valued cul- 1st ed. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998. tural reclusion and isolation as much of the Christian subculture has since the early Note All Scripture quotations in this publication are from The English Standard Version (ESV) of The Holy Bible © Crossway Books.

2 71 Lewis, Robert, and Rob Wilkins. The Church of Irresistible Influence. Grand 20th century. Indeed, skepticism and rejection of certain ideas is as old as history, but Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001. today we have seen a change in our cultural beliefs and values which has come across at all levels of culture. So what is the church to do? Some Christians in every era simply McLaren, Brian. Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of reinvent the faith to match the cultural ideas and sensibilities of the age. This was the Hope Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007. case with 19th century liberal theology which did its best to put spiffy new clothes on McLaren, Brian. Willow Creek Arts Conference 2007 - Mclaren and Loveless 2007, Jesus and recreate Him for the scientific age. What was left was a nice man, who taught accessed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vquwIObeOaA. nice things, whose followers invented fairy tales about him which were found “unac- ceptable to the modern scientific mind.” It was a Jesus that looked very much like his McLaren, Brian D., and Leadership Network (Dallas Tex.). The Story We creators, but very little like the Jesus of Scripture. Other Christians choose to fight, to Find Ourselves In : Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian. 1st ed. separate from the world and loft bombs over walls towards non-Christian teaching and San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003. lifestyles. Others have taken a path of engagement, living among new cultural ideas

Pagitt, Doug, and Tony Jones. An Emergent Manifesto of Hope. Grand Rapids, while holding fast to the Christian gospel and seeking to reach people who are influenced Mich.: Baker Books, 2007. by new mindsets. I think this actually happens continuously in every age and in the lives of countless Christians. Pearcey, Nancy. Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity. I think much of the conversation today around the church’s response to “postmod- Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2004. ernism” or the “post-colonial, post-imperial, post-Christendom” West has to do with how

Perkins, John. With Justice for All. Ventura, CA: Regal Books, 1982. we relate Christ to culture today. Should the church join the “post” party? Should she pick up the medieval battle ax or the modernist howitzer and fight? Should she engage? And if so, what must change? What should emerge? Hence we arrive on the scene of

70 3 contemporary western Christianity. Some desire a revision of all things to fit the current Emergent Village accessed September 27 2007; Available from cultural milieu and ideas, others desire to pick fights—usually with Darwin or others http://www.emergentvillage.org/. who are navigating the hazy middle. Is that middle Frame, John. Certainty accessed October 3 2007; Available from http://www.frame- way a place of relevance with faithfulness? Or is it poythress.org/frame_articles/2005Certainty.htm. just another slow road to heresy? The conversation that lives under the names Gibbs, Eddie, and Ryan K. Bolger. Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Emerging (or emergent) Church is the story of Community in Postmodern Cultures. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2005. people who have taken up the task to try to be Grudem, Wayne. “Redemptive Movement Trumps Scripture“ In Evangelical the church in this era. There has been much Feminism, a New Path to Liberalism Wheaton: Crossway, 2006. deconstruction of “how we do church,” there has

been much “generative friendship” and dialogue Jones, Tony. Different Versions of Christianity 2007, accessed October 4 2007; and many are charting various courses toward a Available from http://tonyj.net/2007/10/02/different-versions-of-christianity/. new day for Christian faith. Some see a coming revolution which has little to do with Kinnon, Bill. The People Formerly Known as the Congregation 2007, accessed churches. Others see a complete revision of all things—they fly the flag of the Emer- March 2007; Available from http://www.kinnon.tv/2007/03/the_people_form.html. gent Village. Another sees a resurgence of reformed biblical teaching living as mission-

aries very much within the cultures of our day. Kunkle, Brett. Essential Concerns Regarding the Emerging Church Stand to In this piece I have a few modest goals. First, I want to give a short history of some Reason, 2006, accessed September 25 2007; Available from http://www. of the emerging conversation and the critiques being offered to the church today. In giv- str.org/site/DocServer/Essential_Concerns_Regarding_the_Emerging_Church. ing the history I will allow two views to talk about the various streams and movements pdf?docID=1441.

4 69 Bibliography making up the Emerging Church conversation. I will then talk about some of the good and bad coming from the discussion and will do this using the terms deconstruction and Bell, Rob. Velvet Elvis. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. construction. Deconstruction is to take apart things we do, ask questions and propheti-

Biema, David Van. “25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America.” Time Magazine cally call into question in order to bring change. Construction is to form praxis and 2005. doctrine, living and teaching. This perhaps may create new forms, but the goal is to take the eternal and bring it effectively into the now. I find both deconstructive and construc- Carson, D. A. Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church : Understanding a tive moves needed for true reform to take place. In conclusion, I will offer some thoughts Movement and Its Implications. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2005. as to a way forward with faithfulness and relevant church life in culture. But before we jump into a history of the emerging conversation, allow me to confess who I am and how Chesterton, G. K. Orthodoxy. Image Books ed. New York: Doubleday, 2001. I have been influenced in the emerging dialogue. Driscoll, Mark. The Radical Reformission - Reaching out without Selling Out. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2004. My Story in Brief… I grew up outside of the Christian church. I had no religious life other than a Driscoll, Mark. “A Pastoral Reflection on the Emerging Church.” Criswell Theologi few visits to a Baptist church at about age four and a few trips to mass with my cal Review 3, no. 2 (2006): 87-83. Irish Catholic grandmother who thought we would end up in limbo if we died as

Dyke, Dale Van. Review: Velvet Elvis - Repainting the Christian Faith accessed unbaptized kids. My dad had left the Catholicism of his youth while in college October 3 2007; Available from http://www.reformation21.org/ and no longer believed in Jesus. So, my brother and I were unbaptized Irish kids, Past_Issues/2006_Issues_1_16_/2006_Issues_1_16_Shelf_LIfe/ a strange thing, but we really didn’t care. In the 11th grade after reading a work February_2006/February_2006/148/vobId__2030/pm__338/. by Voltaire, I think it was Candide, I declared myself a deist. A fun thing for a 17- year-old to do—it allowed me to believe in science and keep God out of my life.

68 5 It was at the end of my freshman year of college that I heard about the message of 41 Webber and others, 128. Jesus in the Bible. At the beginning of my sophomore year I began to follow Him. I 42 Kunkle, (accessed). was on a wrestling scholarship at UNC Chapel Hill and studying physics when Jesus 43 This phrase is the subtitle of Driscoll, The Radical Reformission - Reaching out started messing with my life. I could have cared less if a church sang hymns, choruses without Selling Out. or Christian rock stuff—to be honest I had never really heard much of it anyway. It did not matter to me whether a preacher wore a robe, a tie, flip flops or blue jeans. To be honest, church was weird for me culturally, but I was just happy to belong to Jesus. After college I married my best friend from UNC, Kasey Monroe, who I met as a soccer player for the big time UNC women’s team. She grew up Southern Baptist, so she knew that world. After our wedding we went on staff with Athletes in Action, the sports ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ. We spent most of our time working with non- Christians and Christians who cared to connect with non-Christians on their campus. My questioning nature and non-Christian background led me to the intellectual traditions of the faith and I soon loved to read philosophy, theology and the history of both. I just had so many questions and I needed to learn. As we were involved with campus ministry and young folks, I began to read websites such as theooze.com, faithmaps.com and next-wave.com and began hearing about “the new thing coming today.” Sometimes it went by “reaching Gen X” or “post-modern ministry.” Other times it was just a big complaining session about why the church sucked so badly. Usually it was we must change or die, we

6 67 30 Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones, An Emergent Manifesto of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich.: might miss the next wave, you better get with the new, new thing, sort of stuff. This led to Baker Books, 2007). reading more and discussing post-modernisms: in hermeneutics, critical theory, philoso- 31 Ibid., 191. Emphasis added phy, language, etc. I read essays by Rorty, Derrida, Foucault, et al. During this season I

32 Ibid., 192. was also taking some philosophy classes at Virginia Tech and discussing critical theory with a friend who was doing doctoral work at Princeton seminary. At this time I also started 33 Ibid. Emphasis added reading Brian McLaren’s website and some of his books. He seemed to be on tour like a 34 McLaren and Leadership Network (Dallas Tex.), The Story We Find Ourselves In : Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian, 166. rock star talking about how everything had changed and we needed to be new kinds of Christians. At first I thought Christians were using the term “post-modern” to just describe 35 Carson, 186. doing church differently. People wanted to use technology, as well as incense and candles, 36 Tony Jones, Different Versions of Christianity (2007, accessed October 4 2007); available from http://tonyj.net/2007/10/02/different-versions-of-christianity/. to bring back various forms of the long tradition of the church. Worship needed to be EPIC—experiential, participatory, image-based and communal. That was probably all there 37 McLaren, Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope 80-82. was to it. It was then I realized there was much more going on and some were advocat-

38 See McLaren’s comments in Time Magazine David Van Biema, “25 Most Influential ing changing just about everything. There were smart guys who understood post-modern Evangelicals in America,” Time Magazine 2005. His remarks in Q and A about thought and wanted to remake Christianity—all aspects of it—in the image of the current the issue of homosexuality at the 2007 Willow Creek Arts festival Brian McLaren, Willow Creek Arts Conference 2007 - McLaren and Loveless (2007, accessed); ideology of the day. available from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vquwIObeOaA.and Doug Pagitt’s At this time I was asked to be a pastor in the Nashville, TN area—for me a strange comments on sexuality in Webber and others, 140. place where, to many with whom I talked, following Jesus was either a given or a pain in 39 Webber and others. the neck. I met young Christians who grew up in church world and they loved to complain 40 Kunkle, (accessed). about “the way we do church.” At times I could not tell if they even wanted to be Christians

66 7 anymore—they sounded very much like some of the people I was reading in the emerging 22 Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 26, 27. For a review conversation. So I listened. We had some long meetings talking about stuff and I listened of Bell’s book see Dale Van Dyke, Review: Velvet Elvis - Repainting the Christian Faith (accessed October 3 2007); available from http://www.reformation21.org/ some more. Past_Issues/2006_Issues_1_16_/2006_Issues_1_16_Shelf_LIfe/February_2006/ I began this thing called Inversion, a young adult ministry which started with a bunch February_2006/148/vobId__2030/pm__338/. of church people. I love the people of Inversion and they have become dear friends. I am 23 Brett Kunkle, Essential Concerns Regarding the Emerging Church (Stand to Reason, 2006, accessed September 25 2007); available from http://www. writing this primarily because I care for their vision of Jesus. I have followed the emerging str.org/site/DocServer/Essential_Concerns_Regarding_the_Emerging_Church. dialogue with some interest and on some days feeling like many in the conversation were pdf?docID=1441. Kunkle interacts mainly with Pagitts view from two books – Preaching Re-Imagined and Reimagining Spiritual Formation. my brothers, other days I hated the words I read. So, I guess I am pretty ambivalent about 24 D. A. Carson, Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church: Understanding a all things emerging. Some things I find very helpful in the conversation and other things Movement and Its Implications (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2005), 188-199. I find horrendous. Yes, it is that polarized for me. I am no big player in the debate in that 25 John Frame, Certainty (accessed October 3 2007); available from http://www. I have not sought to write books on the subject, nor am I a conference hopper or trying to frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/2005Certainty.htm. be some big commentor on all the blogs. I have kept my head down in ministry, but slowly 26 Carson, 185. have come to some of my own thoughts within the dialogue. 27 Brian D. McLaren and Leadership Network (Dallas Tex.), The Story We Find Here is where I am—my theology is shaped by Scripture with a strong appreciation Ourselves In: Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian, 1st ed. (San for church history, hopefully with some humility in light of 2,000 years of Christian faith. Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003), 102. My heart is moved by Jesus’ mission with lost people and I see things through that grid. I 28 Ibid.

most align with the reformed resurgence, a movement of young pastors who love the Bible 29 Brian McLaren, Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of Hope (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007), 128. A friend has a prerelease copy of and think culture is not comprehensively evil just because it is outside of the church. Many this newest work. reading this will judge my words because of who I am friends with or who I do not know…

8 65 14 Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity or where I am studying theology in my free (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2004), 273-294. time. It is a Baptist institution after all. I will be 15 Robert Lewis and Rob Wilkins, The Church of Irresistible Influence (Grand Rapids, judged because I have not had a beer with Brian Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001). McLaren so I do not have the right to comment 16 See the excellent book John Perkins, With Justice for All (Ventura, CA: Regal on his very public words. I don’t care—I am a Books, 1982). pastor who cares both about the church and 17 Mark Driscoll, The Radical Reformission - Reaching out without Selling Out (Grand culture, about thoughtful engagement and the Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2004). See chapter 1, eat, drink and be a merry missionary. reality of eternity as described by Jesus Christ.

18 Bill Kinnon, The People Formerly Known as the Congregation(2007, accessed So my goals are to be gracious and truthful to March 2007); available from http://www.kinnon.tv/2007/03/the_people_form.html. the way I see things. 19 This language is taken from the first two chapters of Dallas Willard,The Divine As we begin I want to look at a few ways some have described the emerging conversa- Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God, 1st ed. (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998), 1-60. tion—just picking these guys will tick some people off, but c’est la vie.

20 G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, Image Books ed. (New York: Doubleday, 2001). Streams of Emerging Churches 21 Jeff Robinson, Engaged by the Culture: Michigan Megachurch Goes Egalitarian According to Doug Pagitt (Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, September 27, 2004 2004, accessed October 3 2007); available from http://www.cbmw.org/Blog/Posts/ Doug Pagitt is a pastor at Solomon’s Porch, an emerging church in Minneapolis, and on Engaged-by-the-culture-Michigan-megachurch-goes-egalitarian. For more on the guiding team of the Emergent Village. The Emergent Village is an organization that redemptive movement or trajectory hermeneutics see Wayne Grudem, “Redemptive Movement Trumps Scripture” in Evangelical Feminism, a New Path to Liberalism describes its dream is “to join in the activity of God in the world wherever we are able, (Wheaton: Crossway, 2006). partnering with God as God’s dreams for our world come true. In the process, the

64 9 1 world can be healed and changed, and so can we.” In their book Emerging Churches 8 Seeker churches would be represented by the Willow Creek Association and Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger state how Pagitt categorize three responses to the current typically hold services for “seekers” where felt needs are the primary topic of preaching, religious symbols have been largely removed from worship and the cultural context: Sunday service plays host to drama and engaging musical performances. Bible teaching and the Lord ’s Supper typically take place in a midweek context for (1) a return to the Reformation (e.g., Mars Hill in Seattle); (2) deep systemic believers. Purpose Driven churches are patterned after the work of Rick Warren and Saddleback Community Church where specific target audiences are focused upon changes, but Christianity and the church are still in the center and theological with church growth principles and the church are built on four the “purposes” of changes are not needed (e.g., University Baptist Church in Waco and Mosaic worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and missions. in Los Angeles); and (3) seeing the church as not necessarily the center of 9 Stetzer, (accessed).

God’s intentions. God is working in the world, and the church has the option to 10 Robert Webber and others, Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches : Five join God or not. This third approach focuses more on the kingdom than on the Perspectives (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2007), 121-123. church, and it reflects the perspective of Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis and 11 Ibid., 128-129.

characterizes what Pagitt would classify as emerging.2 12 Many have written at great length about these matters so I will not repeat those discussions. Many have been helped by and engaged with the five options spelled So in Pagitt’s thinking, some are returning to the teachings of the protestant refor- out by Richard Niebuhr in his work Christ and Culture. Christ against Culture, Christ of Culture, Christ above Culture, Christ and Culture in Paradox, and Christ mation and centering these in the context of the contemporary culture, others are mak- Transforming Culture. Basically the tension is found in not wanting to compromise ing systemic changes, changes in form, but not altering substantially the theology of the with the culture, nor be completely isolated from people who live in culture. church. The third way, of which he is a part, is rethinking/reimagining everything with 13 The above quote is from Ed Stetzer, Church and Contemporary Culture—Always a Challenge (Catalyst, 2007, accessed October 22007); available from http://www. the kingdom of God at the center. The idea of the kingdom of God is an important theme catalystspace.com/content/monthly/detail.aspx?i=1198&m=01&y=2007. to pick up on even at this early stage of this paper; we’ll grab this again in an appendix at the conclusion of the article.

10 63 Endnotes According to Mark Driscoll/Ed Stetzer Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church and president of the Acts 29 church 1 Emergent Village, (accessed September 27 2007); available from planting network3 follows the work of missiologist Ed Stetzer in his classification of http://www.emergentvillage.org/. the emerging church. Driscoll is an interesting case as he was very much involved 2 Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger, Emerging Churches: Creating Christian in the late nineties with much of what became the Emerging Church movement. In Community in Postmodern Cultures (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2005), 43. the late nineties he was involved in something called the Young Leaders Network,

3 For the purpose of disclosure I am in the process of planting a church with Acts 29 a group seeking to reach out to Gen X and emerging generations. He spoke with a and affiliated with the network. group of young pastors around the country on reaching young folks for Jesus and 4 Mark Driscoll, A Pastoral Reflection on the Emerging Church, Criswell Theological responding to the shift to a postmodern world. Some of the pastors connected Review 3, no. 2 (2006). and moved on to start the Emergent Village with Brian McLaren and Pagitt, while 5 Ed Stetzer, Understanding the Emerging Church (Baptist Press, 2006, accessed Driscoll parted ways to focus on Mars Hill and church planting efforts. Anyway, September 29 2007); available from http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews. asp?ID=22406. with Driscoll/Stetzer there are three streams of emerging churches as well.4 5

6 Ibid.(accessed). Relevants and Reformed Relevants 7 Driscoll. Relevants would be evangelicals who see the changing cultural milieu and desire to reach and keep the next generation in the church. They see no need to reinvent the church’s theology but rather to re-present and live the faith amidst a postmodern culture. When speaking of this group Ed Stetzer remarks:

There are a good number of young (and not so young) leaders who some classify as “emerging” that really are just trying to make their worship,

62 11 Ed Stetzer Dr. Ed Stetzer has planted churches in New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia and transitioned declining churches in Indiana and Georgia. He has trained pastors and church planters on five continents, holds two masters degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books. Ed served for three years as seminary professor at the Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and has taught at 15 other seminaries. He is currently the Director of Lifeway Research and Lifeway’s Missiologist in Residence. http://www.newchurches.com/

61 Sovereign Grace Ministries music and outreach more contextual to emerging culture. Ironically, while Sovereign Grace Ministries is a family of churches passionate about the gospel of some may consider them liberal, they are often deeply committed to biblical Jesus Christ. They are devoted to planting and supporting local churches, with a preaching, male pastoral leadership and other values common in conserva- strong doctrinal basis that is evangelical, reformed, and charismatic. They support tive evangelical churches.6 churches personally and relationally, as well as through a variety of training In addition, Driscoll includes those whom he calls “Reformed Relevants” who are opportunities and resources you will find described through this website, including concerned with reaching emerging culture but also have a reformed theological vision music, books and periodicals, conferences and events, and audio and video and look to men such as John Piper, Tim Keller and D.A. Carson as theological guides.7 materials. http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/ Reconstructionists Voices in the PCA and SBC Another group is broadly evangelical in theology but sees certain modern church forms such as the mega churches spawned by the seeker and purpose driven movements8 Tim Keller and sees problems for relating the gospel to people today. They do not like the willow Dr. Timothy Keller is one of the most listened to missional leaders today. Through back model and desire to reconstruct simpler more organic church forms such as Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan and the Redeemer Church Planting house churches and neo-monastic communities. Ed Stetzer has said something wise Center, Dr. Keller’s influence in the reformed, missional resurgence and global city regarding the reconstructionists: Don’t want a building, a budget and a program? Okay. church planting has been incalculable. Don’t want the Bible, scriptural leadership, covenant community? Not Okay.9 The Church Site - http://www.redeemer.com/ forms of these churches are very much biblical…as long as they remain biblical. God Church Planting - http://www.redeemer2.com/rcpc/rcpc/ has given the church His Word, rightful authority to live in a community defined by the new covenant. As long as these remain—small, networked, organic churches are not

60 13 only permissible, but can be a wonderful and effective expression of the church. Desiring God Celebrating the truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied Revisionists in Him, they exist to produce and distribute resources that spread a passion for Driscoll categorizes this stream as theological liberals who have and are openly the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. questioning key evangelical doctrines. Much of the revisionist’s project is reimag- http://www.desiringgod.org ining or repainting actual Christian teachings in order to fit the current culture. The most active voices in this stream are the leaders of the Emergent Village—the The Gospel Coalition aforementioned Pagitt, Brian McLaren, Tony Jones and mainline pastors such The vision for ministry articulated by this group on gospel centered, contextualized as Karen Ward. McLaren’s book and speaking tour is entitled Everything Must ministry in culture is a fantastic place to stand in today’s world with the unchang- Change—the revisionists say this with a startling literalism. They really are out to ing gospel. http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/vision.php change Christian teaching to reflect the current age.

Acts 29 Network Emerging vs. Emergent Acts 29 Network exists to start churches that plant churches. God is significantly using It is perhaps helpful to differentiate between two terms used in discussing the evangeli- this network to influence and shape the church planting culture through both rock- cal response or engagement with the current culture. The terms emerging and emergent solid theology and contextualizing the gospel. They will not waver on either of these describe very different movements that have responded in different directions to the cul- commitments. They won’t water down theology to reach more people and won’t attack ture realities in the West. The term emerging has been used to describe how the church the culture in the name of Christianity. They are planting churches that are mission- should contextualize (connect and communicate) the gospel in emerging cultures. Many aries in their respective communities sent by Christ with the gospel (John 20:21). would accept being called an emerging church believe the following: http://www.acts29network.org

14 59 Notes • We are called to be missionaries in culture, not isolationists who separate from 1. George Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom; Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God. those we are called to reach with the gospel.

Grand Rapids, Mich.,: Eerdmans, 1959 20. • A real shift has taken place in western culture—it is not all to be embraced but we must be awake to the changing ideological and pop cultural frameworks around us. 2. Ladd, 28, 29 • A view that in some ways we need to deconstruct some current church paradigms 3. Dallas Willard, The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God, 1st ed. which are ineffective and dying off in western culture. (San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998), 90. • That there is not an eternal culture which has come down from heaven, one that 4. G. K. Chesterton, Orthodoxy, Image Books ed. (New York: Doubleday, 2001), 113. is shaped by certain sensibilities from Europe and America. Some of the music, forms, dress, idiom, etc. are no longer understandable to many non-Christians Appendix 2 - The Reformed Resurgence today and change is needed. The following are some organizations and their resources for those who desire to fol- • Many are being led by converts to Jesus who were not bound to a tradition and low the Jesus of Scripture in His mission amidst the flows of contemporary culture. are at home in the native culture of America yet called out by God to holiness and forward in mission by inerrant Scripture. The Resurgence Resurgence is a movement that resources multiple generations to live for Jesus so • They love the church and think ecclesiology (theology of the church and its that they can effectively reach their cities with the gospel by staying culturally ac- structures) is very important.

cessible and biblically faithful. This site contains audio, video, articles from many • They believe the church is God’s Plan A in the process of taking the saving gospel people in the reformed missional conversation. http://theresurgence.com to all peoples.

58 15 Many who would accept the term emerging are theologically conservative yet To become a disciple of Jesus is to accept now that inversion of human distinc- culturally engaged. They are very home in biblical teaching and contemporary culture. tions that will sooner or later be forced upon everyone by the irresistible reality of They see truth as transcendent, propositional and revealed in Scripture, but also per- His Kingdom. How must we think of Him to see the inversion from our present sonal in that we encounter truth in Jesus Christ. viewpoint? We must, simply, accept that He is the best and smartest man who ever As mentioned before, emergent is similar but has sought to reimagine theology lived in this world, that He is even now “the Prince of the Kings of the earth” (Rev. to be in line with the cultural idea of the moment. All theology is to be temporary and 1:5). Then we heartily join His cosmic conspiracy to overcome evil with good.3 ever changing.10 The analogy that Doug Pagitt has used is that in every era the church What is the Gospel of the Kingdom? It is twofold. It is to see sinners saved and in- must create a theology that dances well with the culture. Salsa needs a certain type volves individual salvation. Yet it also calls us to see a new society or culture formed— of music, as does a waltz. Each culture needs to remake a Christianity to dance well the church. The gospel saves us and will ultimately redeem all things. It is Christ died with its own ideas and imagination.11 My question is who is leading the dance—revela- for our sins (1 Cor. 15) and a uniting of all things under God (Eph. 1.10). In our lives tion from a transcendent God or the god of my cultural imagination. It seems for the today we live as part of a revolution, not a fortress to keep out the world. The gospel Emergent crowd that culture, tradition and Scripture are all on equal footing in the saves you and me and makes us part of God’s restoration of all things. I’ll give the late dance. You mix them up and come up with something for the current day. I find this British journalist G.K. Chesterton the final word. deeply troubling. So this is how the discussion is being talked about from two different visions In the upper world hell once rebelled against heaven. But in this world heav- of the church moving through the 21st century. But why did the conversation en is rebelling against hell. For the orthodox there can always be a revolution; “emerge” in the first place. To understand this let us look at some of the questions for a revolution is a restoration.4 which are being asked by this generation and how this led to some helpful deconstruction. Why is the church so jacked up and beautiful, troubling and divinely

16 57 The Gospel and the Church—A Resistance Movement loved by God as the bride of Christ? The church is still God’s Plan A in His redemptive In our day Jesus is still at work in the world saving sinners and adding folks to His commu- purposes in the world, but she is in process. nity known as the church. In this group of people we have a counter cultural community that lives according to the gospel of the Kingdom. It proclaims good news of the death of Jesus Deconstruction, Deconstruction…What’s Your Function? for sin and the resurrection of Jesus for our hope. It loves others and cares about injustice It is very easy for us as Americans to domesticate life, tame it for our enjoyment and empowering the poor. The church is an in-breaking of the Kingdom and this reality is and then fall to sleep in the boredom of our own creation. I think we sometimes proclaimed in the preaching of God’s Word and visible in the practice of the ordinances even die in our safety and self-orienta- of baptism (entry sign into the Kingdom) and the Lord’s Supper (a continuing sign of the tion and don’t even know it. The church Kingdom). This community exists for the world but does not subscribe to the systems and can be no different. We can be doing power of the world. It is a revolution, an inversion by which God is transforming people and things for years and not really know extending grace into communities. We are much like a resistance force in occupied territory. why we are doing them. Lines that we Though sin, death and hell still have power, we proclaim hope through the gospel. We are a walk in become deep ruts and ditches; rag tag group of folks who desire for the Lord to come and work hard for the sake of others. sometimes it seems like you can never We hold out the gospel and call people to Jesus for their salvation. Then we walk together as get out unless something drastic takes a broken community giving our lives away for the sake of others. When we fail, we practice place. The questions many have asked and live in regular repentance and hope in the gospel because we all fall short of the glory of in the emerging conversation surround many issues and they have not all been God. This is why we need Jesus. We cannot bring His Kingdom or deal with our sin. He does. received well by those in positions of evangelical power. Many people do not like This is why the gospel is central to our lives and mission. Once someone becomes a follower change; it is threatening. Many people also do not like being asked critical ques- of Jesus, He is then part of the inversion...Dallas Willard said it well: tions about what we are doing. Yet I think questions are necessary for growth, for

56 17 reform, for learning and for making good and helpful change. All of these are thwarted—Jesus is the first fruits, the promise of our own resurrec- As the culture has shifted and the influence of Christian faith has waned there tion and eternal life.

12 have been several approaches to culture. Some evangelicals have continued in The Kingdom is Later a culture war where certain social ills are fought through rhetoric, protests and Yet Scripture is clear that this current age is under the dominion or rule of sin, political engagement. Others have questions whether declaring war on those to death and Satan. Our great enemy is called the prince of the power of the air, the whom we are called to reach is a wise decision. Ed Stetzer compares the culture to ruler of this world (or age), and we know very well that sin and death still hold fast someone’s house and thinks we need to engage with culture, not simply yell at it. on the earth. George Ladd summarizes this very well:

Preaching against culture is like preaching against someone’s house—it is This age is dominated by evil, wickedness and rebellion against the will of just where they live. The house has good in it and bad in it. Overall, culture God, while the age to come is the age of the Kingdom of God…The point can be a mess—but (to mix metaphors) it is the water in which we swim is this: it is the character of this age to choke the working of the Word of and the lens through which we see the world. And the gospel needs to God. The spirit of the age is hostile to the gospel.2 come, inhabit, and change that and every culture (or house).13 Yet, in becoming a Christian now we receive the promise and evidence of the final destruc- If culture is someone’s house, maybe we should engage with it, come over tion of these things as sin looses it power over us (sanctification) and death itself is not the once in a while, and perhaps even move into the neighborhood. This, however, end for us any longer (John 11:17-27). Finally, the second coming of Christ will fully bring has its concerns as we are called by God to maintain our distinctive calling as the reality of the Kingdom in forever. It will be definitive. The dead will rise to immortality, Christians to holiness and discipleship to Jesus. We are called to live in culture evil and wickedness will be judged completely and demonic powers removed for all time. but yet still live counter-culturally as citizens of the kingdom of God. Hence, many As such all things will be made new and the redemption of God in all things will arrive. started asking questions about how we might do this relevantly and faithfully.

18 55 believe we have a job to call sinners to repentance and faith—we will neglect building So deconstruction and the asking of questions was very much a part of the early days a Kingdom culture now that reflects the reign of God. God desires for us to proclaim of emerging evangelicals and many of these questions proved helpful in showing us justice for the oppressed, to feed the hungry and to steward creation as representatives just how culturally captive the American church had become. Or as Nancy Pearcey of another Kingdom. You might say that under-realized eschatology ignores some very entitled a chapter in one of her recent books: “When Christianity met America— important aspects of the rule of God—now for the sake of thinking about the later. Guess Who Won?”14 Now on to some questions and the asking of “why?” Of course, all this is too simplistic—but these issues are important. The solu- Helpful Questions tion to this is not reductionism but to see all the teaching on the Kingdom—that it Question – Why do we not care more about the poor? The Scriptures and Jesus talk is a present in-breaking reality, that it is not fully here, that it will come definitively so much about this as a focus and a test of genuine faith for the people of God? at the second coming of Jesus—as important. We must like now and later, not just now or later. The emerging conversation has brought out the important Scriptural issues of justice and mercy to the poor, ground long ceded by many evangelicals Now and Not Yet... to “liberals who just preach a social gospel.” There are many moral issues The Kingdom is Now which challenge us in every age. Should we not be living to serve and help What we want to hold in tension is that the Kingdom very much appeared with the the poor, oppressed and marginalized in society? Even those who think incarnation of Jesus, who is our covenant King. The Kingdom also expresses itself that the issues of abortion and sexuality to be of high importance must realize when people enter into it by repentance and faith in Jesus. When someone be- that there are also other moral issues in our communities today. comes a Christian, a follower of Jesus, for whom Christ has paid for their sins and Additionally, is there not a witness to be had in culture simply by doing reconciled them with God, the person very much enters the Kingdom. After the first good to others. Is this not the impetus of Matthew 5:16? That our good works coming of Jesus we now can be set free from the power of sin, death, and Satan. would be visible and would lead to the praise of God? How are we helping the

54 19 good of all people, not just representing “our causes?” Is there a common good some sense true. Yet the casualty of “Kingdom we can serve in the name of Christ and a proper view of good works in culture Now” thinking is that the salvation of sinners as a part of the church’s witness? Why did so many evangelical churches flee from the wrath of God, the death, burial and to the suburbs and leave the inner cities? Do we care about the plight of resurrection of Jesus “for our sins” is lost. Many America’s urban centers and the urban poor? Has the church become captive in this camp no longer teach that sin is indi- to one political party? vidual, but only social. They no longer teach the Many evangelicals such as Robert Lewis15 have championed good works in reality of eternity and the right judgment of God. our communities as a compelling witness to the gospel in our day. Others such They no longer teach that hell even exists but as John Perkins and the Christian Community Development Association16 have instead that our only focus should be “bringing pressed us further urging relocation, reconciliation and redistribution to serve the Kingdom” now. It you choose to believe that the Kingdom is all now; we miss broken communities and rebuild the walls of our cities. Tim Keller, pastor of some incredibly important truths about the later. If you like theology—you would Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, has stated forcefully that if the call this over realized eschatology. church does not recover the biblical vision of caring for the poor, she will be Too Much Later utterly ineffective in the post-Christian urban centers of America. On the other extreme is the teaching that the gospel is only about getting a “go to Question – How do we apply the principles of biblical missiology (reaching out to heaven card” and not a call to followership of Jesus, transformation of communi- others with the gospel) to the emerging North American mission field? ties, and reflection of the saving gospel of the Kingdom in our lives today. All the

With the shifting of ideas in western culture, many are urging that we see focus is on the second coming of Jesus and the coming judgment and not living North America as a mission field. Much of Europe today is already a place the way of Jesus today. If all we are to do today is get folks saved—and I do which desperately needs the replanting of the gospel in that soil. Many

20 53 history have fallen on various sides of these questions and the issue is very impor- parts of America, the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast, are almost as tant in many conversations today. The witness of the Bible on this is precisely the unreached as any place in the world. Many in the emerging conversation source of the struggle for it clearly teaches that the Kingdom came with Jesus in have reshaped the role of church as a missionary people in culture. In my some way (i.e. Mark 1:14-15) and it is with us in our present reality (Rom. 14:17). opinion, this is the very nature of the church and it is a return to the life It teaches that those who believe in Jesus are moved into the Kingdom, yet at and function of the church in the apostolic era. The work of men such as the same time there remains a dominion of darkness (Col. 1:13-14). Our greatest David Bosch, Darrel Guder, Leslie Newbigin, George Hunsberger, Roland mistake is to be reductionist about the Scriptures teaching, silencing some parts in Allen and Ed Stetzer have been influential in thinking through how to be favor of others. This is what Christians have done from time to time with the teach- the church and engage our culture as missionaries. Though these men are ing on the Kingdom of God. A few examples are. not of the same theological species, their work on being missionaries in culture has been appreciated by those in the emerging discussions. Mark Too Much Now Driscoll’s first book, The Radical Reformission, is a popular treatment of Over time many Christians see the rule of God as perfect justice for all people and how the church might live as missionaries in culture. Or as he put it, how creation itself. It is a state where all is made right on the earth. So they see the do we live out a radical reformission, reaching out without selling out the gospel in these terms. The good news is that there is a different life available now. biblical gospel.17 We can live lives of love and justice and bring the Kingdom to the earth more fully. Liberal Christianity of the late 19th and early 20th century made this push. Today, Question – Why do we have such a consumerist mindset in much of modern the idea that the gospel is “the Kingdom is here now” and live that way is becom- evangelicalism?

ing popular among Christians flying the flag “Emergent.” The call of the gospel is We agree that faith is much too precious to reduce to bumper sticker and to live the Kingdom way now. That is the good news brought by Jesus. This is in coffee mug slogans. Sometimes the arms race of building multi-million

52 21 dollar facilities with a food court just like the mall can be a bit much. Much of God. A kingdom as described in Scripture is the actual rule and reign of a King of the mega church movement has driven serious thought out of the pulpit, Himself. Rather than geography or a people, the kingdom is the expression of an banished theological reflection from much of the church’s discourse, and authority and the nature of that rule. To put it very simply, the Kingdom of God is dealing with the complex questions of life in the 21st century has been the rule and reign of God. It is His exercised rule or sovereignty, not the realm in replaced by three point slogans which do not help when talking about Jesus which it is implemented.1 Additionally; there is great agreement that the Kingdom with real and thoughtful non-Christians. Hence, the emerging conversation or Rule of God is one of complete justice, the eradication of sin and death and the has reacted against much of the consumerist peddling of holy things and the peaceful ordering of all things by Christ our King. lack of engagement with God. I recently spoke to a friend whose father-in- So this brings to us an important question. If the Kingdom is the rule of God, law had visited a conservative Anglican community and a mega church. The is it now here with us? Or is the Kingdom a future reality coming in the time which man, an unbeliever, responded,”—One seemed more about God, the other we call “heaven.” Our answer will be yes...and yes. seemed more about catering to the people there.” He liked both, but the difference was striking. Much of the emerging response to the mega church Did it already come? Still coming? is overstated, angry and reactionary. Case in point is Bill Kinnon’s The People The idea of the coming Kingdom is rife with discussions of temporality (issues of Formerly Known as the Congregation.18 It is not a very charitable rant and time). Did Jesus bring the Kingdom in 33 AD? Is God in charge now, or is that still it is a bit full of gross generalizations. And if you read it and are part of a coming? What does the second coming of Jesus say to the reality of the Kingdom? church that might be in his crosshairs, you might even get a bit angry. But Does the Kingdom have to do with righteous and just rule or the salvation of sin- you should listen at least to what is being articulated. On many occasions I ners by a holy, wrathful, loving, good and forgiving God? Additionally, is it God’s have personally sat with young Christians and heard quite similar frustrations job to bring about His rule and reign on the earth, or is it our job as the church? Or and concerns. both? There are so many questions associated with this. Christians throughout

22 51 Appendix 1 - The Gospel of the Kingdom Questions – Why are we so infatuated with our individuality? Is the church not a The teaching of the Bible regarding The Kingdom of God is perhaps some of the community of people called together by God?

most complex, mysterious, beautiful and awe inspiring realities. This essay will I find the rejection of a radical individualism and the focus on true com- be but a gnat scratching on the surface of the moon in attempt to describe the munity in the church to be helpful. God has always had “a covenant teaching of Scripture on this topic. Yet it is also a matter of great importance people” made up of individuals, not simply individuals who simply relate because it is deeply connected to the gospel as taught by Jesus and the apostles. privately with God. One cannot even take one step to obey the teaching of The sections of this essay will be excessively brief as my goal is to introduce rather Jesus and the apostles if sitting alone in a room by oneself. To love, to for- than rigorously present all the issues. For those interested there is a short and give, to live in unity, to not grumble, to encourage, to rebuke, to build up, accessible book by the late George Eldon Ladd entitled The Gospel of the Kingdom to correct, to confess, to repent, to preach the gospel…it means we will which I recommend. live in community with the family of God. That community has structure and leaders. It should not be a community of hierarchical power, but of The Kingdom Defined—Rule and Reign humble and obedient servants under a great King. The emerging conversa- When we hear the word Kingdom today we are tempted to define it in terms of a tion has turned into a mob of opinion without any authority present— geographical realm with a castle and certain people being ruled by a monarch. perhaps a sort of hyper Protestantism—but this excess does not minimize At least in my kids’ fairy tale books and DVDs this is usually how it rolls out. Or the biblical emphasis on the church as a covenant community. if you are up on world affairs you might think of a Middle Eastern monarchy such as Saudi Arabia or perhaps history buffs will think of historical western kingdoms Question – Did Christianity begin in the 20th century? Or are there long and before the advent of democratic nation states. Either way, both impressions will not biblically faithful traditions that we can look to for guidance and practice?

help us in thinking of what the ancients meant when they spoke of the Kingdom There has been a deep desire to connect to the past and the great

50 23 tradition of the Christian faith throughout the ages. The love for enough into culture leaves the church isolated in a shrinking Christian ghetto— connection to our ancient teachings has expressed itself in many ways separated from the souls it is called to reach. among those emerging. You hear terms like vintage, creed and sacred This path is not easy to maintain. We need wisdom from older believers buzzing among this generation. I think this is a good thing—we should and we need to be accountable in the community of the local church. Yet we want a vintage Jesus, value the ecumenical creeds and see God and are called by faith to follow Jesus as the ultimate missionary. The one who church as holy and sacred in a world that is so soaked in the profane. came from heaven to earth to demonstrate, preach, and become good news for all by going to the cross and rising from death is our model and means to ef- Question – Do the arts matter for the glory of God? fective mission in the 21st century. We are ever contending for the truth of the The reformation and rediscovery of the arts by Christians in the emerg- gospel and ever walking in the fluid streams of the world. He is our hope, our ing world is also a prominent trend. Many artists sense a deep reflection vision, our life, our truth and our peace as we follow Him to reach out without of the glory of God as creatures made in the image of the most creative selling out.43 Creator. Again, there are excesses. Some exalt tradition over Scripture, with anything found in history given a place in the church. Some artists Here we stand—lead on Lord Jesus… may neglect biblical truth for the following of existential moments and Soli Deo Gloria, unguided mystical feelings. There are pitfalls and dangers, but I find the rediscovery of church history and the arts to be a positive thing which has emerged.

Reid S. Monaghan

24 49 place, but the church was never meant to live by the exhaust fumes of frustrated Question – Is the gospel just about going to Heaven when I die? deconstructionists. It is meant to live by every word which comes from the mouth There is a proper emphasis about Jesus saving us from sin, death and of God and move forward under that authority. hell. But should we not teach how to live in the way of Jesus now? Are we As the church follows Jesus on mission in culture, there are two theological just waiting around to die or for the rapture? We do not want to treat the tensions which leadership must vigilantly hold. First, we must contend for the gospel as a “get out of hell free card” that does not affect the way we live faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Second, we must now. It seems that many evangelicals are living no differently than the rest contextualize the gospel into culture, becoming all things to all people that by all of the world, but are secure in that they have a heavenly passport in their means we might save some. We do both for the sake of the gospel (1 Cor. 9:19- pocket. Are there more gospel implications for living an eternal kind of life 23). We must contend for the faith and not treat our doctrine lightly or flippantly. now, that are more than mere sin management?19 Both Jesus and the apostles warned us over and over again that false teachers will arise from within; teaching what is contrary to sound doctrine. The cultural These have been good questions asked by many in the emerging church con- winds which buffet the church; be it feminism, a skewed view of tolerance, or versation. In many ways they have been a move of deconstruction—the asking of a pluralistic mindset relating to religions must not change our core theological why and poking holes through some of the idols of contemporary church life. When convictions. There is content to the gospel that we must hold to with conviction the church gets too comfortable, I believe God graciously sends some questioners. (Gal. 1:6-10). Culture does not define our theology; this must come from God’s In my opinion much of the deconstruction has been immature, angry and ungod- own self-revelation in Scripture. Our second task is equally important. The ly—the voice of the children of fundamentalist leaning churches who were never gospel we preach must be brought to a people who live in a time and place. The allowed to speak. To be quite honest, some of my own questioning has not always gospel must incarnate into the cultural forms of a people in order for effective been presented to others in a kind and gracious manner. Yet I hope some will see communication to take place. Getting lost in traditional forms and not going far that the struggle to be faithful to the biblical Jesus should result in caring about

48 25 justice, caring about the poor, caring about the good of our neighbors (temporally • Is there a faith once entrusted to the saints? Or is it a dance to be reinvented or and eternally), not making our faith a marketed trinket for religious consumers, repainted in every age? living in authentic community, connecting with our shared church history and the • Is there a word from God that comes outside in—from God to people in culture(s)? arts have all been good byproducts of the emerging conversation. But guess what? Or are we just talking with ourselves? You don’t need postmodernism or any other cultural mood to derive these—we just • Does Jesus reveal Himself in Scripture? Or do we make Him who we want Him to be? have to look to and follow the Jesus of Scripture. But that is hard for us, as G.K. Chesterton once observed, “the Christian ideal has not been found tried and found In the 19th century the mainline Protestant churches led by Schleiermacher and wanting it has been found difficult and left untried.”20 others changed everything in response to the scientific age. They abandoned the However, once we ask our questions we must know where to look to find our old gospel for a more culturally acceptable religion without miracles, spiritual beings path in the future. Do we look to ourselves or to Scripture? Do we build something and physical resurrections. It was very much a faith that danced well with the in our own image or do we follow Christ into culture with God’s revelation in Scrip- assumptions of the spirit of the age. Yet these churches have slowly waned in influence, ture as the authoritative rule and guide? This is where many in the emerging con- many unable to call enough pastors to lead. In our day a similar revisioning versation have taken a path deeper and deeper into the woods, and in my opinion, is happening this time in the image of tolerance, pluralism, subjectivism, anti- are losing their way. All things being built today are not equal and many have deep authoritarianism and postmodern theories of interpreting texts. My fear is that what and troubling consequences for the gospel and the souls of women and men. will be left will have little resemblance to the faith once entrusted to the saints. I am in no way a traditionalist, and maintain that the church must connect, communicate and live in the cultural settings to which God calls us. He has determined the exact times and places for our lives and calls us to be faithful to His mission there. There has been some necessary deconstruction that has taken

26 47 is the new dance of theology created to match the music of today’s culture. It is no Construction – What Should We Build? surprise that someone like Spencer Burke, founder of theooze.com and long part of • Who is Jesus? the conversation, has written A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity in which he claims to be • What is the gospel? a universalist and a pantheist who denies the personhood of God.42 A theological • What is your view of homosexual practice?

methodology that has no fixed point of • How do you view the atonement…do you think the substitutionary view is in error? reference other than a conversation in • Is hell a reality? community has the potential to land in any ideological cul-de-sac one can im- • What is the role of Scripture in your community? age. This is heartbreaking to see happen • What do you believe? to the children of evangelicalism. • What do you teach?

Conclusion • How will we live? We began by talking about a conversa- These are reasonable questions many people in the emerging world have simply tion which was a response to the chang- not answered concretely or directly. The spirit of our age is one of postmodern ing face of western culture and the church’s desire to connect and communicate deconstruction, indirect teaching, subversive narratives, etc. Yet our calling to our the Christian faith to a coming generation. We have ended with some teachers brothers and sisters in Christ is not to deconstruct them, evade them or subvert who are reinventing the faith and leaving what they call the “conventional gospel” them. It is to love them. The apostle Paul taught the ancient Corinthian Christians behind. We have some questions to answer as evangelicals today: that the nature of ministry is that by the open statement of the truth we would

46 27 commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. today will claim that they are following the gospel according to Jesus, not as taught Once the questions are asked, solutions must be given. We must live and teach by Paul in books such as Romans and Galatians. This is nothing but a tacit denial and preach Jesus in this culture. Much of the emerging dialogue has brought forth of the inspiration and unity of the New Testament. There is no ultimate fighting deep concerns about what is actually going on under the surface in the ideas and cage match between the teachings of Jesus and Paul. Jesus tells us in Mark 1:15 teaching of certain men. The emerging crowd echoes over and over again that one that “the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel.” This gospel voice does not speak for all. This, of course, is true. Yet when certain men teach is reflected in the apostolic witness which is the 27 books of the New Testament. certain things and begin to construct a new Christianity, a new gospel, and go on The inspired writers of the both the Gospels and the epistles are not in disagree- tour to tell the world, men involved in the conversation have a duty to the church ment, for their common inspiration is God. to speak. Many over the years have waited for certain men to begin to state what Concern – Nothing is off the Table they really believe in ways people can understand. People have begun to build their The final concern is serious as it deals with the entire theological project of perpet- new emergent views, and the picture I see is becoming more and more troubling. ual revisionism. If our doctrine and teaching is constantly changed, we literally open In recent days the leaders of the Emergent Village have actually published some the door to any teaching with no Christian doctrine exempt from re-fashioning or re- of their ideas with some clarity. Doug Pagitt in Listening to the Beliefs of the imagining. We see this today in all manner of forms. Leaders of Emergent Village are Emerging Churches, Brian McLaren in a Reading of John 14, the Secret Message openly questioning the biblical teaching on human sexuality,38 making statements of Jesus and Everything Must Change. In addition, Rob Bell has had both Pagitt which seem to question the creation/creator distinction which smells of pantheism,39 and McLaren in his pulpit, articulated a questionable hermeneutical framework,21 declaring the doctrine of the Trinity to be still on the table,40 and seeming en- and has openly stated that, though he believes in it, the virgin birth of Jesus is not dorsement of the ancient heretic Pelagius41 who taught that man did not have a essential to maintaining faithful Christian doctrine.22 sinful nature and could save himself by his free will and own moral actions. Such In this final section I will focus on some things I see in the new construction

28 45 was accused of not really engaging them, misunderstanding them, et al. Today however, Emergent Village is acknowledging that they are offering a “different Christian faith” than evangelical Protestantism. Even as I write this, Tony Jones, national coordinator of Emergent has said just that.36 Additionally, McLaren’s books have continued to roll out and now he himself is stating openly he has rejected a conventional view of the gospel in favor of an emerging view.”37 Here is a concise description of the new gospel, as I understand it:

The gospel is the good news of the Kingdom of God coming with the person of Jesus. When Jesus came He offered a new way of living, a new way of life here and now that anyone can enter. All who live in this way are already living the Kingdom and in some way are a part of it. We now are able to join in helping God make His dreams for the world come true.

That is the new gospel. There is a big problem here. Part of this is very true. The Kingdom is, in a way, here now. There is a new way of life offered to us in Jesus now. Yet it is tragically incomplete and does not offer what the Scriptures actually call the gospel. The apostle Paul stated clearly in Galatians 1 that if anyone preaches another gospel, than the one he taught let him be cursed. My question is simple: Is this new gospel the gospel as taught by the apostles? It is not. Some

44 work which I find as a deviation from Scripture. I will quote the actual words of mentioned approximately 172 times in the Old Testament and 36 times in the New some of Emergent’s teachers under some of my own headers and share why I think Testament. Additionally, we must not forget that it is not Moses or Paul who taught these issues are so important. A thorough engagement of all these issues requires us this doctrine most frequently. It is the teaching of Jesus Himself in the Gospels. much more rigor than I can provide here, so I refer anyone to the footnotes for The most compassionate thing Jesus did about the reality of hell was to declare deeper study. It is with sadness that I see much of what is being proffered today. its reality and provide a way of escape. He gave Himself for us on the cross so that In the form of blogs, books and conferences a new gospel is being presented which sin, death and hell would be defeated. He did not come to tell us that judgment was is couched in half-truths and therefore incomplete and deadly. It is to the genera- a perfect assessment of your life by God, He told us to escape the coming judgment tion which I love and pastor that many of these things are pitched. and fly from the wrath to come. He loved us enough to tell us the truth and then accomplished our salvation on a brutal cross of execution. This is good news. Concerns … Concern – The rejection of biblical truth and propositional revelation for a post-modern Concern - The Preaching of a New Gospel epistemology and theory of language. For many years there have been people like me wondering where certain streams of the emerging conversation would lead. It was controversial a couple of years ago Conception of Truth – Many in the revisionist stream have rejected the to question whether some men, most affiliated with the revisionist stream, were idea of truth in which our beliefs can be said to correspond to reality preaching a different gospel. In fact, D.A. Carson wrote these words in 2005. “as it is” and report an objective. That truth is the articulation of reality. I should say that they have not “rejected” the idea of truth, rather I have to say, as kindly but as forcefully as I can, that to my mind, if words they have taught that only God knows “capital T” Truth, while we are left mean anything, both McLaren and Chalke have largely abandoned the gospel.35 knowing only local, constructed perspectives on truth that are created in This was not received well by many in the emerging conversation and Dr. Carson community.23 For those interested in the epistemological debates involved

30 43 they do not believe or teach these things. The same could be said for many phi- here (debates about how we come to know things, discussions of the losophies and religions. Personally, I have friends who are converted Hindus—you nature of truth) I recommend picking up Reclaiming the Center, Confront- know what they call Hinduism…idolatry. They would never embrace this emergent ing Evangelical Accommodation in Postmodern Times. Finally, D.A. Carson view and they seek to lead their Indian friends and family to the cross of Christ and has compiled a massive list of Scripture focusing on the importance of the worship of the triune God. I am thankful that we are all permitted in our cul- truth and even a humble certainty of certain things taught in the Bible.24 ture to believe what we want; yet I am still called by God to present Jesus to others Propositional Revelation – Historically the church has taught that the Old to be followed and obeyed. To say that someone is part of the Kingdom of Jesus by and New Testaments are infallible inspired writings which are the Word of rejecting Him makes no sense in light of the New Testament and it does not show God in written form. Our understanding of sacred texts as written revela- respect for the actual beliefs of our friends from other religions. tion means that language must be capable of conveying his meaning to Concern – The rejection of the difficult biblical doctrine of eternal punishment us. To say otherwise is tantamount to saying that God’s Word is lost when In several ways leaders in Emergent thinking have continued to reveal that they His prophets and apostles conveyed them in human language. Though it do not believe that anyone will be under the just judgment of God in hell. When is limited in its ability to comprehensively describe God, language is suf- you have no need of a payment for sin on the cross, when you believe that we can ficient to the task for which God created it. God desires to be known and follow God in the way of Jesus by participation in idolatry, when you teach that He has made Himself known in Scripture. We submit to this revelation as judgment is simply a perfect assessment of your life by God,34 Jesus’ teaching on authoritative. One particular person thought speaking and writing was an hell simply has no place in your theology. adequate facility to convey the truth of God. His name is God—Here are In every era of the church there have been people who have found the wrath of the words of the Father and the Son. God and Jesus’ teachings on eternal judgment to be unpalatable. The wrath of God is 5And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all

42 31 things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trust- soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of worthy and true.” 6And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30But even the hairs of your the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the head are all numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will sparrows. 32So everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowl- have this heritage, and I will be His God and He will be my son. edge before my Father who is in heaven, 33but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Matt.10:26-33 Revelation 21:5-7 Emphasis added

The Scriptures are clear that Jesus claimed to be God incarnate. They are also 13But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that clear that there is only one God and creator of all things. The worship of gods which they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14I have given them your are not God is univocally called idolatry in Scripture. I am deeply concerned that word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, what is being said in the emergent world is that one can participate in idolatry as the just as I am not of the world. 15I do not ask that you take them out of the worship of Jesus. This is indeed sad. We do not have to deny that we have something world, but that you keep them from the evil one. to learn from all peoples and that there are valuable things taught in other religions. John 17:13-15 Emphasis added What we must not do is declare that a good way to follow Jesus is idolatry, for idolatry

I will agree that there are times in which all people, including Christians, use truth is sin and sin separates us from God and incurs His right judgment. for the purposes of power, personal agendas and all other manner of oppressive I find it very imperialistic of Christians to think of Muslims (or people of any behavior. I think we all need more humility. Additionally, we can acknowledge the other faith or belief system) as people who actually follow Jesus the incarnate Son difficult task of hermeneutics without turning to constructivist views of knowledge. of God, in spirit but not in name. Muslims do not teach or believe this. Addition- Yet one can have certainty of Christian truth, without having arrogance or being ally, it is not charitable to think that atheists really follow the spirit of Jesus when

32 41 Selmanovic then follows up the story with one of an atheist friend named Mark domineering, and this truth is conveyed in language. We see this exemplified in the who also rejects the gospel and Jesus Christ, instead turning to a grace in his inner life of Jesus Himself. life and wanting to spend his life being “a channel of that same goodness to oth- Finally, John Frame makes an excellent argument for Christian certainty in his ers.”32 He then follows these two stories with a pretty amazing statement. essay of the same name. Our certainty is centered in revelation from God in His The Chominas and Marks around us leave us wondering whether Christ Word. I’ll give Dr. Frame the last word here: can be more than Christianity. Or even other than Christianity. Can it Secular philosophy rejects absolute certainty, then, because absolute be that the teachings of the gospel are embedded and can be found in certainty is essentially supernatural, and because the secularist is unwill- reality itself rather than being exclusively isolated in sacred texts and our ing to accept a supernatural foundation for knowledge. But the Christian interpretations of these texts? 33 regards God’s Word as the ultimate criterion of truth and falsity, right and So the gospel may be taught outside of the Bible. Some in the emergent stream are wrong, and therefore as the standard of certainty. Insofar as we consis- teaching that we can deny the name of Christ, worship other gods through other religious tently hold the Bible as our standard of certainty, we may and must regard stories and yet still be walking in the Kingdom of God. What then do we make of Jesus’ it as itself absolutely certain. So in God’s revelation, the Christian has a own words that teach us the following? wonderful treasure, one that saves the soul from sin and the mind from skepticism.25 26So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and Concern – The rejection or questioning of the penal substitutionary nature of the what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28And do not fear those atonement is heartbreaking as this removes the heart of the gospel.

who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both The nature of the atonement (what was accomplished by the death, burial

40 33 and resurrection of Jesus) has been questioned for centuries. It is no small As we will see in a moment, some revisionists have changed the gospel, denied that matter, since atonement for sin is a core issue throughout Old and New Tes- judgment might mean hell and that salvation means mainly a new way of life today. taments. In the Old Testament the Levitical system was given as a foreshad- Concern – Rejecting the idea of the need for explicit faith in Jesus Christ owing and type for the ultimate sacrifice for sin which would be provided by A recent book entitled An Emergent Manifesto of Hope 30 was put out by Baker God Himself. Even a cursory reading of the Book of Hebrews demonstrates Books and the Emergent Village. It is a compilation of emergent voices from that Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb of God, our great High Priest offering mainline denominations, emergent revisionists and a few evangelicals. One of the Himself as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Yet the idea of God the Son, essays is by Samir Selmanovic entitled The Sweet Problem of Inclusiveness. In the offering Himself as a sacrifice to take away our sins (expiation) and have the essay he quotes extensively from a scene in a 1991 movie called Black Robe. The wrath of God for our sins poured out upon Him (propitiation) is offensive to story involves a priest attempting to lead a Native American to faith in Christ and some and an embarrassment to current sensibilities. The Cross of Christ has the man rejecting the gospel. The account reads as follows: many purposes in Scripture. It reconciles all things to God (Eph. 1:10), it defeated demonic powers (Col. 2:15), it is an example in suffering (1 Peter When I put myself in the moccasins of chief Chomina [who did not want 1:23), to redeem us (Eph. 1:7), to ransom us for God paying our debt (Mark to accept Christ lest he be separated in the afterlife from his family], I feel 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:5-6), to make us righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and most God’s Spirit asking me, “What would you choose, eternal life without your centrally He died for our sins. Let’s look at just a few verses loved ones or eternal death with them?” Chomina knew his answer. He would

• 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 - Now I would remind you, brothers, of the rather die than live without his beloved. Moved by the Holy Spirit, people gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, like Chomina reject the idea of allegiance to the name of Christ and, instead, 31 2and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I want to be like Him and thus accept Him at a deeper level.

34 39 the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ brutal execution was done by an oppressive empire, preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you but ultimately this was the definite plan of God, foreknown and ordained by the as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins Father. The Son willfully gave His life, the Father accepted the sacrifice, and then in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that He was buried, that He was applied this atonement to those who turn to God in repentance and faith. Yet some raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. in the emergent stream have openly questioned this view of the cross that Jesus • Isaiah 53:2-10 - 2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and died as payment for sins. like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we Steve Chalke, an Emerging Church voice from the UK, has directly called should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. 3He was 26 this view of the cross equivalent to “cosmic child abuse” and Brian McLaren despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with glowingly endorsed the work. Additionally, in his own work, McLaren has used the grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, 27 very same language, though it comes through the mouth of a fictional character and we esteemed Him not. 4Surely He has borne our griefs and carried rather than a plain statement of his beliefs about substitutionary atonement. In the our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and fictional dialogue the atoning work of the Trinity is called “cosmic child abuse” but afflicted. 5But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed no clarification is given. In fact, the view mentioned as child abuse is explained for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us as “substitutionary atonement” and it is called a “theory” rather than a doctrine peace, and with His stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have 28 of the church. What is left of the cross in the view of some revisionists? It is gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the Lord usually presented as a moral example of suffering under oppression, or as McLaren has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed, and He was has presented in his latest book “Jesus will use a cross to expose the cruelty and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the 29 injustice of those in power and instill hope and confidence in the oppressed.” slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He Salvation from sin, death and hell is missing…where did these biblical teachings go?

38 35 opened not His mouth. 8By oppression and judgment He was taken blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut eat; this is My body.” 27And He took a cup, and when He had given off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28for this people? 9And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the man in his death, although He had forgiveness of sins. done no violence, and there was no • Acts 2:22-23 - 22Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, 10 deceit in His mouth. Yet it was a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and the will of the Lord to crush Him; signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves He has put Him to grief; when His know—23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan soul makes an offering for sin, He and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of shall see His offspring; He shall lawless men. prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. In Summary: Paul teaches us that the gospel is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Old Testament”—that Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection were • 1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also the fulfillment of the Scriptures and that this death was for our sins. Isaiah 53 suffered once for sins, the righteous demonstrates that the prophets indeed had this in mind. Add to that the sacrifices for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death for sins laid out in Leviticus and you can see why Hebrews teaches clearly that in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. Jesus’ priestly, sacrificial ministry of Himself was “according the Scriptures.” • Matt. 26:26 - Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after Additionally, Jesus taught us that the blood of the new covenant was poured out for

36 37 opened not His mouth. 8By oppression and judgment He was taken blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut eat; this is My body.” 27And He took a cup, and when He had given off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28for this people? 9And they made His grave with the wicked and with a rich is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the man in his death, although He had forgiveness of sins. done no violence, and there was no • Acts 2:22-23 - 22Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, 10 deceit in His mouth. Yet it was a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and the will of the Lord to crush Him; signs that God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves He has put Him to grief; when His know—23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan soul makes an offering for sin, He and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of shall see His offspring; He shall lawless men. prolong His days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. In Summary: Paul teaches us that the gospel is that “Christ died for our sins according to the Old Testament”—that Jesus’ death, burial and resurrection were • 1 Peter 3:18 - For Christ also the fulfillment of the Scriptures and that this death was for our sins. Isaiah 53 suffered once for sins, the righteous demonstrates that the prophets indeed had this in mind. Add to that the sacrifices for the unrighteous, that He might bring us to God, being put to death for sins laid out in Leviticus and you can see why Hebrews teaches clearly that in the flesh but made alive in the spirit. Jesus’ priestly, sacrificial ministry of Himself was “according the Scriptures.” • Matt. 26:26 - Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after Additionally, Jesus taught us that the blood of the new covenant was poured out for

36 37 the forgiveness of sins. Jesus’ brutal execution was done by an oppressive empire, preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3For I delivered to you but ultimately this was the definite plan of God, foreknown and ordained by the as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins Father. The Son willfully gave His life, the Father accepted the sacrifice, and then in accordance with the Scriptures, 4that He was buried, that He was applied this atonement to those who turn to God in repentance and faith. Yet some raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures. in the emergent stream have openly questioned this view of the cross that Jesus • Isaiah 53:2-10 - 2For he grew up before him like a young plant, and died as payment for sins. like a root out of dry ground; He had no form or majesty that we Steve Chalke, an Emerging Church voice from the UK, has directly called should look at Him, and no beauty that we should desire Him. 3He was 26 this view of the cross equivalent to “cosmic child abuse” and Brian McLaren despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with glowingly endorsed the work. Additionally, in his own work, McLaren has used the grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces. He was despised, 27 very same language, though it comes through the mouth of a fictional character and we esteemed Him not. 4Surely He has borne our griefs and carried rather than a plain statement of his beliefs about substitutionary atonement. In the our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and fictional dialogue the atoning work of the Trinity is called “cosmic child abuse” but afflicted. 5But He was wounded for our transgressions; He was crushed no clarification is given. In fact, the view mentioned as child abuse is explained for our iniquities; upon Him was the chastisement that brought us as “substitutionary atonement” and it is called a “theory” rather than a doctrine peace, and with His stripes we are healed. 6All we like sheep have 28 of the church. What is left of the cross in the view of some revisionists? It is gone astray; we have turned—everyone—to his own way; and the Lord usually presented as a moral example of suffering under oppression, or as McLaren has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. 7He was oppressed, and He was has presented in his latest book “Jesus will use a cross to expose the cruelty and afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the 29 injustice of those in power and instill hope and confidence in the oppressed.” slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so He Salvation from sin, death and hell is missing…where did these biblical teachings go?

38 35 and resurrection of Jesus) has been questioned for centuries. It is no small As we will see in a moment, some revisionists have changed the gospel, denied that matter, since atonement for sin is a core issue throughout Old and New Tes- judgment might mean hell and that salvation means mainly a new way of life today. taments. In the Old Testament the Levitical system was given as a foreshad- Concern – Rejecting the idea of the need for explicit faith in Jesus Christ owing and type for the ultimate sacrifice for sin which would be provided by A recent book entitled An Emergent Manifesto of Hope 30 was put out by Baker God Himself. Even a cursory reading of the Book of Hebrews demonstrates Books and the Emergent Village. It is a compilation of emergent voices from that Jesus is the sacrificial Lamb of God, our great High Priest offering mainline denominations, emergent revisionists and a few evangelicals. One of the Himself as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Yet the idea of God the Son, essays is by Samir Selmanovic entitled The Sweet Problem of Inclusiveness. In the offering Himself as a sacrifice to take away our sins (expiation) and have the essay he quotes extensively from a scene in a 1991 movie called Black Robe. The wrath of God for our sins poured out upon Him (propitiation) is offensive to story involves a priest attempting to lead a Native American to faith in Christ and some and an embarrassment to current sensibilities. The Cross of Christ has the man rejecting the gospel. The account reads as follows: many purposes in Scripture. It reconciles all things to God (Eph. 1:10), it defeated demonic powers (Col. 2:15), it is an example in suffering (1 Peter When I put myself in the moccasins of chief Chomina [who did not want 1:23), to redeem us (Eph. 1:7), to ransom us for God paying our debt (Mark to accept Christ lest he be separated in the afterlife from his family], I feel 10:45; 1 Tim. 2:5-6), to make us righteousness (2 Cor. 5:21) and most God’s Spirit asking me, “What would you choose, eternal life without your centrally He died for our sins. Let’s look at just a few verses loved ones or eternal death with them?” Chomina knew his answer. He would

34 39 Selmanovic then follows up the story with one of an atheist friend named Mark domineering, and this truth is conveyed in language. We see this exemplified in the who also rejects the gospel and Jesus Christ, instead turning to a grace in his inner life of Jesus Himself. life and wanting to spend his life being “a channel of that same goodness to oth- Finally, John Frame makes an excellent argument for Christian certainty in his ers.”32 He then follows these two stories with a pretty amazing statement. essay of the same name. Our certainty is centered in revelation from God in His The Chominas and Marks around us leave us wondering whether Christ Word. I’ll give Dr. Frame the last word here: can be more than Christianity. Or even other than Christianity. Can it Secular philosophy rejects absolute certainty, then, because absolute be that the teachings of the gospel are embedded and can be found in certainty is essentially supernatural, and because the secularist is unwill- reality itself rather than being exclusively isolated in sacred texts and our ing to accept a supernatural foundation for knowledge. But the Christian interpretations of these texts? 33 regards God’s Word as the ultimate criterion of truth and falsity, right and So the gospel may be taught outside of the Bible. Some in the emergent stream are wrong, and therefore as the standard of certainty. Insofar as we consis- teaching that we can deny the name of Christ, worship other gods through other religious tently hold the Bible as our standard of certainty, we may and must regard stories and yet still be walking in the Kingdom of God. What then do we make of Jesus’ it as itself absolutely certain. So in God’s revelation, the Christian has a own words that teach us the following? wonderful treasure, one that saves the soul from sin and the mind from skepticism.25 26So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known. 27What I tell you in the dark, say in the light, and Concern – The rejection or questioning of the penal substitutionary nature of the what you hear whispered, proclaim on the housetops. 28And do not fear those atonement is heartbreaking as this removes the heart of the gospel.

who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. Rather fear him who can destroy both The nature of the atonement (what was accomplished by the death, burial

40 33 things new.” Also He said, “Write this down, for these words are trust- soul and body in hell. 29Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? And not one of worthy and true.” 6And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and them will fall to the ground apart from your Father. 30But even the hairs of your the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the head are all numbered. 31Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many spring of the water of life without payment. 7The one who conquers will sparrows. 32So everyone who acknowledges Me before men, I also will acknowl- have this heritage, and I will be His God and He will be my son. edge before my Father who is in heaven, 33but whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven. Matt.10:26-33 Revelation 21:5-7 Emphasis added

32 41 they do not believe or teach these things. The same could be said for many phi- here (debates about how we come to know things, discussions of the losophies and religions. Personally, I have friends who are converted Hindus—you nature of truth) I recommend picking up Reclaiming the Center, Confront- know what they call Hinduism…idolatry. They would never embrace this emergent ing Evangelical Accommodation in Postmodern Times. Finally, D.A. Carson view and they seek to lead their Indian friends and family to the cross of Christ and has compiled a massive list of Scripture focusing on the importance of the worship of the triune God. I am thankful that we are all permitted in our cul- truth and even a humble certainty of certain things taught in the Bible.24 ture to believe what we want; yet I am still called by God to present Jesus to others Propositional Revelation – Historically the church has taught that the Old to be followed and obeyed. To say that someone is part of the Kingdom of Jesus by and New Testaments are infallible inspired writings which are the Word of rejecting Him makes no sense in light of the New Testament and it does not show God in written form. Our understanding of sacred texts as written revela- respect for the actual beliefs of our friends from other religions. tion means that language must be capable of conveying his meaning to Concern – The rejection of the difficult biblical doctrine of eternal punishment us. To say otherwise is tantamount to saying that God’s Word is lost when In several ways leaders in Emergent thinking have continued to reveal that they His prophets and apostles conveyed them in human language. Though it do not believe that anyone will be under the just judgment of God in hell. When is limited in its ability to comprehensively describe God, language is suf- you have no need of a payment for sin on the cross, when you believe that we can ficient to the task for which God created it. God desires to be known and follow God in the way of Jesus by participation in idolatry, when you teach that He has made Himself known in Scripture. We submit to this revelation as judgment is simply a perfect assessment of your life by God,34 Jesus’ teaching on authoritative. One particular person thought speaking and writing was an hell simply has no place in your theology. adequate facility to convey the truth of God. His name is God—Here are In every era of the church there have been people who have found the wrath of the words of the Father and the Son. God and Jesus’ teachings on eternal judgment to be unpalatable. The wrath of God is 5And He who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all

42 31 work which I find as a deviation from Scripture. I will quote the actual words of mentioned approximately 172 times in the Old Testament and 36 times in the New some of Emergent’s teachers under some of my own headers and share why I think Testament. Additionally, we must not forget that it is not Moses or Paul who taught these issues are so important. A thorough engagement of all these issues requires us this doctrine most frequently. It is the teaching of Jesus Himself in the Gospels. much more rigor than I can provide here, so I refer anyone to the footnotes for The most compassionate thing Jesus did about the reality of hell was to declare deeper study. It is with sadness that I see much of what is being proffered today. its reality and provide a way of escape. He gave Himself for us on the cross so that In the form of blogs, books and conferences a new gospel is being presented which sin, death and hell would be defeated. He did not come to tell us that judgment was is couched in half-truths and therefore incomplete and deadly. It is to the genera- a perfect assessment of your life by God, He told us to escape the coming judgment tion which I love and pastor that many of these things are pitched. and fly from the wrath to come. He loved us enough to tell us the truth and then accomplished our salvation on a brutal cross of execution. This is good news. Concerns … Concern – The rejection of biblical truth and propositional revelation for a post-modern Concern - The Preaching of a New Gospel epistemology and theory of language. For many years there have been people like me wondering where certain streams of the emerging conversation would lead. It was controversial a couple of years ago Conception of Truth – Many in the revisionist stream have rejected the to question whether some men, most affiliated with the revisionist stream, were idea of truth in which our beliefs can be said to correspond to reality preaching a different gospel. In fact, D.A. Carson wrote these words in 2005. “as it is” and report an objective. That truth is the articulation of reality. I should say that they have not “rejected” the idea of truth, rather I have to say, as kindly but as forcefully as I can, that to my mind, if words they have taught that only God knows “capital T” Truth, while we are left mean anything, both McLaren and Chalke have largely abandoned the gospel.35 knowing only local, constructed perspectives on truth that are created in This was not received well by many in the emerging conversation and Dr. Carson community.23 For those interested in the epistemological debates involved

30 43 was accused of not really engaging them, misunderstanding them, et al. Today however, Emergent Village is acknowledging that they are offering a “different Christian faith” than evangelical Protestantism. Even as I write this, Tony Jones, national coordinator of Emergent has said just that.36 Additionally, McLaren’s books have continued to roll out and now he himself is stating openly he has rejected a conventional view of the gospel in favor of an emerging view.”37 Here is a concise description of the new gospel, as I understand it:

44 commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. today will claim that they are following the gospel according to Jesus, not as taught Once the questions are asked, solutions must be given. We must live and teach by Paul in books such as Romans and Galatians. This is nothing but a tacit denial and preach Jesus in this culture. Much of the emerging dialogue has brought forth of the inspiration and unity of the New Testament. There is no ultimate fighting deep concerns about what is actually going on under the surface in the ideas and cage match between the teachings of Jesus and Paul. Jesus tells us in Mark 1:15 teaching of certain men. The emerging crowd echoes over and over again that one that “the Kingdom of God is at hand, repent and believe the gospel.” This gospel voice does not speak for all. This, of course, is true. Yet when certain men teach is reflected in the apostolic witness which is the 27 books of the New Testament. certain things and begin to construct a new Christianity, a new gospel, and go on The inspired writers of the both the Gospels and the epistles are not in disagree- tour to tell the world, men involved in the conversation have a duty to the church ment, for their common inspiration is God. to speak. Many over the years have waited for certain men to begin to state what Concern – Nothing is off the Table they really believe in ways people can understand. People have begun to build their The final concern is serious as it deals with the entire theological project of perpet- new emergent views, and the picture I see is becoming more and more troubling. ual revisionism. If our doctrine and teaching is constantly changed, we literally open In recent days the leaders of the Emergent Village have actually published some the door to any teaching with no Christian doctrine exempt from re-fashioning or re- of their ideas with some clarity. Doug Pagitt in Listening to the Beliefs of the imagining. We see this today in all manner of forms. Leaders of Emergent Village are Emerging Churches, Brian McLaren in a Reading of John 14, the Secret Message openly questioning the biblical teaching on human sexuality,38 making statements of Jesus and Everything Must Change. In addition, Rob Bell has had both Pagitt which seem to question the creation/creator distinction which smells of pantheism,39 and McLaren in his pulpit, articulated a questionable hermeneutical framework,21 declaring the doctrine of the Trinity to be still on the table,40 and seeming en- and has openly stated that, though he believes in it, the virgin birth of Jesus is not dorsement of the ancient heretic Pelagius41 who taught that man did not have a essential to maintaining faithful Christian doctrine.22 sinful nature and could save himself by his free will and own moral actions. Such In this final section I will focus on some things I see in the new construction

28 45 is the new dance of theology created to match the music of today’s culture. It is no Construction – What Should We Build? surprise that someone like Spencer Burke, founder of theooze.com and long part of • Who is Jesus? the conversation, has written A Heretic’s Guide to Eternity in which he claims to be • What is the gospel? a universalist and a pantheist who denies the personhood of God.42 A theological • What is your view of homosexual practice?

46 27 justice, caring about the poor, caring about the good of our neighbors (temporally • Is there a faith once entrusted to the saints? Or is it a dance to be reinvented or and eternally), not making our faith a marketed trinket for religious consumers, repainted in every age? living in authentic community, connecting with our shared church history and the • Is there a word from God that comes outside in—from God to people in culture(s)? arts have all been good byproducts of the emerging conversation. But guess what? Or are we just talking with ourselves? You don’t need postmodernism or any other cultural mood to derive these—we just • Does Jesus reveal Himself in Scripture? Or do we make Him who we want Him to be? have to look to and follow the Jesus of Scripture. But that is hard for us, as G.K. Chesterton once observed, “the Christian ideal has not been found tried and found In the 19th century the mainline Protestant churches led by Schleiermacher and wanting it has been found difficult and left untried.”20 others changed everything in response to the scientific age. They abandoned the However, once we ask our questions we must know where to look to find our old gospel for a more culturally acceptable religion without miracles, spiritual beings path in the future. Do we look to ourselves or to Scripture? Do we build something and physical resurrections. It was very much a faith that danced well with the in our own image or do we follow Christ into culture with God’s revelation in Scrip- assumptions of the spirit of the age. Yet these churches have slowly waned in influence, ture as the authoritative rule and guide? This is where many in the emerging con- many unable to call enough pastors to lead. In our day a similar revisioning versation have taken a path deeper and deeper into the woods, and in my opinion, is happening this time in the image of tolerance, pluralism, subjectivism, anti- are losing their way. All things being built today are not equal and many have deep authoritarianism and postmodern theories of interpreting texts. My fear is that what and troubling consequences for the gospel and the souls of women and men. will be left will have little resemblance to the faith once entrusted to the saints. I am in no way a traditionalist, and maintain that the church must connect, communicate and live in the cultural settings to which God calls us. He has determined the exact times and places for our lives and calls us to be faithful to His mission there. There has been some necessary deconstruction that has taken

26 47 place, but the church was never meant to live by the exhaust fumes of frustrated Question – Is the gospel just about going to Heaven when I die? deconstructionists. It is meant to live by every word which comes from the mouth There is a proper emphasis about Jesus saving us from sin, death and of God and move forward under that authority. hell. But should we not teach how to live in the way of Jesus now? Are we As the church follows Jesus on mission in culture, there are two theological just waiting around to die or for the rapture? We do not want to treat the tensions which leadership must vigilantly hold. First, we must contend for the gospel as a “get out of hell free card” that does not affect the way we live faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). Second, we must now. It seems that many evangelicals are living no differently than the rest contextualize the gospel into culture, becoming all things to all people that by all of the world, but are secure in that they have a heavenly passport in their means we might save some. We do both for the sake of the gospel (1 Cor. 9:19- pocket. Are there more gospel implications for living an eternal kind of life 23). We must contend for the faith and not treat our doctrine lightly or flippantly. now, that are more than mere sin management?19 Both Jesus and the apostles warned us over and over again that false teachers will arise from within; teaching what is contrary to sound doctrine. The cultural These have been good questions asked by many in the emerging church con- winds which buffet the church; be it feminism, a skewed view of tolerance, or versation. In many ways they have been a move of deconstruction—the asking of a pluralistic mindset relating to religions must not change our core theological why and poking holes through some of the idols of contemporary church life. When convictions. There is content to the gospel that we must hold to with conviction the church gets too comfortable, I believe God graciously sends some questioners. (Gal. 1:6-10). Culture does not define our theology; this must come from God’s In my opinion much of the deconstruction has been immature, angry and ungod- own self-revelation in Scripture. Our second task is equally important. The ly—the voice of the children of fundamentalist leaning churches who were never gospel we preach must be brought to a people who live in a time and place. The allowed to speak. To be quite honest, some of my own questioning has not always gospel must incarnate into the cultural forms of a people in order for effective been presented to others in a kind and gracious manner. Yet I hope some will see communication to take place. Getting lost in traditional forms and not going far that the struggle to be faithful to the biblical Jesus should result in caring about

48 25 tradition of the Christian faith throughout the ages. The love for enough into culture leaves the church isolated in a shrinking Christian ghetto— connection to our ancient teachings has expressed itself in many ways separated from the souls it is called to reach. among those emerging. You hear terms like vintage, creed and sacred This path is not easy to maintain. We need wisdom from older believers buzzing among this generation. I think this is a good thing—we should and we need to be accountable in the community of the local church. Yet we want a vintage Jesus, value the ecumenical creeds and see God and are called by faith to follow Jesus as the ultimate missionary. The one who church as holy and sacred in a world that is so soaked in the profane. came from heaven to earth to demonstrate, preach, and become good news for all by going to the cross and rising from death is our model and means to ef- Question – Do the arts matter for the glory of God? fective mission in the 21st century. We are ever contending for the truth of the The reformation and rediscovery of the arts by Christians in the emerg- gospel and ever walking in the fluid streams of the world. He is our hope, our ing world is also a prominent trend. Many artists sense a deep reflection vision, our life, our truth and our peace as we follow Him to reach out without of the glory of God as creatures made in the image of the most creative selling out.43 Creator. Again, there are excesses. Some exalt tradition over Scripture, with anything found in history given a place in the church. Some artists Here we stand—lead on Lord Jesus… may neglect biblical truth for the following of existential moments and Soli Deo Gloria, unguided mystical feelings. There are pitfalls and dangers, but I find the rediscovery of church history and the arts to be a positive thing which has emerged.

Reid S. Monaghan

24 49 Appendix 1 - The Gospel of the Kingdom Questions – Why are we so infatuated with our individuality? Is the church not a The teaching of the Bible regarding The Kingdom of God is perhaps some of the community of people called together by God?

help us in thinking of what the ancients meant when they spoke of the Kingdom There has been a deep desire to connect to the past and the great

50 23 dollar facilities with a food court just like the mall can be a bit much. Much of God. A kingdom as described in Scripture is the actual rule and reign of a King of the mega church movement has driven serious thought out of the pulpit, Himself. Rather than geography or a people, the kingdom is the expression of an banished theological reflection from much of the church’s discourse, and authority and the nature of that rule. To put it very simply, the Kingdom of God is dealing with the complex questions of life in the 21st century has been the rule and reign of God. It is His exercised rule or sovereignty, not the realm in replaced by three point slogans which do not help when talking about Jesus which it is implemented.1 Additionally; there is great agreement that the Kingdom with real and thoughtful non-Christians. Hence, the emerging conversation or Rule of God is one of complete justice, the eradication of sin and death and the has reacted against much of the consumerist peddling of holy things and the peaceful ordering of all things by Christ our King. lack of engagement with God. I recently spoke to a friend whose father-in- So this brings to us an important question. If the Kingdom is the rule of God, law had visited a conservative Anglican community and a mega church. The is it now here with us? Or is the Kingdom a future reality coming in the time which man, an unbeliever, responded,”—One seemed more about God, the other we call “heaven.” Our answer will be yes...and yes. seemed more about catering to the people there.” He liked both, but the difference was striking. Much of the emerging response to the mega church Did it already come? Still coming? is overstated, angry and reactionary. Case in point is Bill Kinnon’s The People The idea of the coming Kingdom is rife with discussions of temporality (issues of Formerly Known as the Congregation.18 It is not a very charitable rant and time). Did Jesus bring the Kingdom in 33 AD? Is God in charge now, or is that still it is a bit full of gross generalizations. And if you read it and are part of a coming? What does the second coming of Jesus say to the reality of the Kingdom? church that might be in his crosshairs, you might even get a bit angry. But Does the Kingdom have to do with righteous and just rule or the salvation of sin- you should listen at least to what is being articulated. On many occasions I ners by a holy, wrathful, loving, good and forgiving God? Additionally, is it God’s have personally sat with young Christians and heard quite similar frustrations job to bring about His rule and reign on the earth, or is it our job as the church? Or and concerns. both? There are so many questions associated with this. Christians throughout

22 51 history have fallen on various sides of these questions and the issue is very impor- parts of America, the Pacific Northwest and the Northeast, are almost as tant in many conversations today. The witness of the Bible on this is precisely the unreached as any place in the world. Many in the emerging conversation source of the struggle for it clearly teaches that the Kingdom came with Jesus in have reshaped the role of church as a missionary people in culture. In my some way (i.e. Mark 1:14-15) and it is with us in our present reality (Rom. 14:17). opinion, this is the very nature of the church and it is a return to the life It teaches that those who believe in Jesus are moved into the Kingdom, yet at and function of the church in the apostolic era. The work of men such as the same time there remains a dominion of darkness (Col. 1:13-14). Our greatest David Bosch, Darrel Guder, Leslie Newbigin, George Hunsberger, Roland mistake is to be reductionist about the Scriptures teaching, silencing some parts in Allen and Ed Stetzer have been influential in thinking through how to be favor of others. This is what Christians have done from time to time with the teach- the church and engage our culture as missionaries. Though these men are ing on the Kingdom of God. A few examples are. not of the same theological species, their work on being missionaries in culture has been appreciated by those in the emerging discussions. Mark Too Much Now Driscoll’s first book, The Radical Reformission, is a popular treatment of Over time many Christians see the rule of God as perfect justice for all people and how the church might live as missionaries in culture. Or as he put it, how creation itself. It is a state where all is made right on the earth. So they see the do we live out a radical reformission, reaching out without selling out the gospel in these terms. The good news is that there is a different life available now. biblical gospel.17 We can live lives of love and justice and bring the Kingdom to the earth more fully. Liberal Christianity of the late 19th and early 20th century made this push. Today, Question – Why do we have such a consumerist mindset in much of modern the idea that the gospel is “the Kingdom is here now” and live that way is becom- evangelicalism?

52 21 good of all people, not just representing “our causes?” Is there a common good some sense true. Yet the casualty of “Kingdom we can serve in the name of Christ and a proper view of good works in culture Now” thinking is that the salvation of sinners as a part of the church’s witness? Why did so many evangelical churches flee from the wrath of God, the death, burial and to the suburbs and leave the inner cities? Do we care about the plight of resurrection of Jesus “for our sins” is lost. Many America’s urban centers and the urban poor? Has the church become captive in this camp no longer teach that sin is indi- to one political party? vidual, but only social. They no longer teach the Many evangelicals such as Robert Lewis15 have championed good works in reality of eternity and the right judgment of God. our communities as a compelling witness to the gospel in our day. Others such They no longer teach that hell even exists but as John Perkins and the Christian Community Development Association16 have instead that our only focus should be “bringing pressed us further urging relocation, reconciliation and redistribution to serve the Kingdom” now. It you choose to believe that the Kingdom is all now; we miss broken communities and rebuild the walls of our cities. Tim Keller, pastor of some incredibly important truths about the later. If you like theology—you would Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, has stated forcefully that if the call this over realized eschatology. church does not recover the biblical vision of caring for the poor, she will be Too Much Later utterly ineffective in the post-Christian urban centers of America. On the other extreme is the teaching that the gospel is only about getting a “go to Question – How do we apply the principles of biblical missiology (reaching out to heaven card” and not a call to followership of Jesus, transformation of communi- others with the gospel) to the emerging North American mission field? ties, and reflection of the saving gospel of the Kingdom in our lives today. All the

20 53 believe we have a job to call sinners to repentance and faith—we will neglect building So deconstruction and the asking of questions was very much a part of the early days a Kingdom culture now that reflects the reign of God. God desires for us to proclaim of emerging evangelicals and many of these questions proved helpful in showing us justice for the oppressed, to feed the hungry and to steward creation as representatives just how culturally captive the American church had become. Or as Nancy Pearcey of another Kingdom. You might say that under-realized eschatology ignores some very entitled a chapter in one of her recent books: “When Christianity met America— important aspects of the rule of God—now for the sake of thinking about the later. Guess Who Won?”14 Now on to some questions and the asking of “why?” Of course, all this is too simplistic—but these issues are important. The solu- Helpful Questions tion to this is not reductionism but to see all the teaching on the Kingdom—that it Question – Why do we not care more about the poor? The Scriptures and Jesus talk is a present in-breaking reality, that it is not fully here, that it will come definitively so much about this as a focus and a test of genuine faith for the people of God? at the second coming of Jesus—as important. We must like now and later, not just now or later. The emerging conversation has brought out the important Scriptural issues of justice and mercy to the poor, ground long ceded by many evangelicals Now and Not Yet... to “liberals who just preach a social gospel.” There are many moral issues The Kingdom is Now which challenge us in every age. Should we not be living to serve and help What we want to hold in tension is that the Kingdom very much appeared with the the poor, oppressed and marginalized in society? Even those who think incarnation of Jesus, who is our covenant King. The Kingdom also expresses itself that the issues of abortion and sexuality to be of high importance must realize when people enter into it by repentance and faith in Jesus. When someone be- that there are also other moral issues in our communities today. comes a Christian, a follower of Jesus, for whom Christ has paid for their sins and Additionally, is there not a witness to be had in culture simply by doing reconciled them with God, the person very much enters the Kingdom. After the first good to others. Is this not the impetus of Matthew 5:16? That our good works coming of Jesus we now can be set free from the power of sin, death, and Satan. would be visible and would lead to the praise of God? How are we helping the

54 19 reform, for learning and for making good and helpful change. All of these are thwarted—Jesus is the first fruits, the promise of our own resurrec- As the culture has shifted and the influence of Christian faith has waned there tion and eternal life.

18 55 The Gospel and the Church—A Resistance Movement loved by God as the bride of Christ? The church is still God’s Plan A in His redemptive In our day Jesus is still at work in the world saving sinners and adding folks to His commu- purposes in the world, but she is in process. nity known as the church. In this group of people we have a counter cultural community that lives according to the gospel of the Kingdom. It proclaims good news of the death of Jesus Deconstruction, Deconstruction…What’s Your Function? for sin and the resurrection of Jesus for our hope. It loves others and cares about injustice It is very easy for us as Americans to domesticate life, tame it for our enjoyment and empowering the poor. The church is an in-breaking of the Kingdom and this reality is and then fall to sleep in the boredom of our own creation. I think we sometimes proclaimed in the preaching of God’s Word and visible in the practice of the ordinances even die in our safety and self-orienta- of baptism (entry sign into the Kingdom) and the Lord’s Supper (a continuing sign of the tion and don’t even know it. The church Kingdom). This community exists for the world but does not subscribe to the systems and can be no different. We can be doing power of the world. It is a revolution, an inversion by which God is transforming people and things for years and not really know extending grace into communities. We are much like a resistance force in occupied territory. why we are doing them. Lines that we Though sin, death and hell still have power, we proclaim hope through the gospel. We are a walk in become deep ruts and ditches; rag tag group of folks who desire for the Lord to come and work hard for the sake of others. sometimes it seems like you can never We hold out the gospel and call people to Jesus for their salvation. Then we walk together as get out unless something drastic takes a broken community giving our lives away for the sake of others. When we fail, we practice place. The questions many have asked and live in regular repentance and hope in the gospel because we all fall short of the glory of in the emerging conversation surround many issues and they have not all been God. This is why we need Jesus. We cannot bring His Kingdom or deal with our sin. He does. received well by those in positions of evangelical power. Many people do not like This is why the gospel is central to our lives and mission. Once someone becomes a follower change; it is threatening. Many people also do not like being asked critical ques- of Jesus, He is then part of the inversion...Dallas Willard said it well: tions about what we are doing. Yet I think questions are necessary for growth, for

56 17 Many who would accept the term emerging are theologically conservative yet To become a disciple of Jesus is to accept now that inversion of human distinc- culturally engaged. They are very home in biblical teaching and contemporary culture. tions that will sooner or later be forced upon everyone by the irresistible reality of They see truth as transcendent, propositional and revealed in Scripture, but also per- His Kingdom. How must we think of Him to see the inversion from our present sonal in that we encounter truth in Jesus Christ. viewpoint? We must, simply, accept that He is the best and smartest man who ever As mentioned before, emergent is similar but has sought to reimagine theology lived in this world, that He is even now “the Prince of the Kings of the earth” (Rev. to be in line with the cultural idea of the moment. All theology is to be temporary and 1:5). Then we heartily join His cosmic conspiracy to overcome evil with good.3 ever changing.10 The analogy that Doug Pagitt has used is that in every era the church What is the Gospel of the Kingdom? It is twofold. It is to see sinners saved and in- must create a theology that dances well with the culture. Salsa needs a certain type volves individual salvation. Yet it also calls us to see a new society or culture formed— of music, as does a waltz. Each culture needs to remake a Christianity to dance well the church. The gospel saves us and will ultimately redeem all things. It is Christ died with its own ideas and imagination.11 My question is who is leading the dance—revela- for our sins (1 Cor. 15) and a uniting of all things under God (Eph. 1.10). In our lives tion from a transcendent God or the god of my cultural imagination. It seems for the today we live as part of a revolution, not a fortress to keep out the world. The gospel Emergent crowd that culture, tradition and Scripture are all on equal footing in the saves you and me and makes us part of God’s restoration of all things. I’ll give the late dance. You mix them up and come up with something for the current day. I find this British journalist G.K. Chesterton the final word. deeply troubling. So this is how the discussion is being talked about from two different visions In the upper world hell once rebelled against heaven. But in this world heav- of the church moving through the 21st century. But why did the conversation en is rebelling against hell. For the orthodox there can always be a revolution; “emerge” in the first place. To understand this let us look at some of the questions for a revolution is a restoration.4 which are being asked by this generation and how this led to some helpful deconstruction. Why is the church so jacked up and beautiful, troubling and divinely

16 57 Notes • We are called to be missionaries in culture, not isolationists who separate from 1. George Ladd, The Gospel of the Kingdom; Scriptural Studies in the Kingdom of God. those we are called to reach with the gospel.

58 15 only permissible, but can be a wonderful and effective expression of the church. Desiring God Celebrating the truth that God is most glorified in us when we are most satisfied Revisionists in Him, they exist to produce and distribute resources that spread a passion for Driscoll categorizes this stream as theological liberals who have and are openly the supremacy of God in all things for the joy of all peoples through Jesus Christ. questioning key evangelical doctrines. Much of the revisionist’s project is reimag- http://www.desiringgod.org ining or repainting actual Christian teachings in order to fit the current culture. The most active voices in this stream are the leaders of the Emergent Village—the The Gospel Coalition aforementioned Pagitt, Brian McLaren, Tony Jones and mainline pastors such The vision for ministry articulated by this group on gospel centered, contextualized as Karen Ward. McLaren’s book and speaking tour is entitled Everything Must ministry in culture is a fantastic place to stand in today’s world with the unchang- Change—the revisionists say this with a startling literalism. They really are out to ing gospel. http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/vision.php change Christian teaching to reflect the current age.

14 59 Sovereign Grace Ministries music and outreach more contextual to emerging culture. Ironically, while Sovereign Grace Ministries is a family of churches passionate about the gospel of some may consider them liberal, they are often deeply committed to biblical Jesus Christ. They are devoted to planting and supporting local churches, with a preaching, male pastoral leadership and other values common in conserva- strong doctrinal basis that is evangelical, reformed, and charismatic. They support tive evangelical churches.6 churches personally and relationally, as well as through a variety of training In addition, Driscoll includes those whom he calls “Reformed Relevants” who are opportunities and resources you will find described through this website, including concerned with reaching emerging culture but also have a reformed theological vision music, books and periodicals, conferences and events, and audio and video and look to men such as John Piper, Tim Keller and D.A. Carson as theological guides.7 materials. http://www.sovereigngraceministries.org/ Reconstructionists Voices in the PCA and SBC Another group is broadly evangelical in theology but sees certain modern church forms such as the mega churches spawned by the seeker and purpose driven movements8 Tim Keller and sees problems for relating the gospel to people today. They do not like the willow Dr. Timothy Keller is one of the most listened to missional leaders today. Through back model and desire to reconstruct simpler more organic church forms such as Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan and the Redeemer Church Planting house churches and neo-monastic communities. Ed Stetzer has said something wise Center, Dr. Keller’s influence in the reformed, missional resurgence and global city regarding the reconstructionists: Don’t want a building, a budget and a program? Okay. church planting has been incalculable. Don’t want the Bible, scriptural leadership, covenant community? Not Okay.9 The Church Site - http://www.redeemer.com/ forms of these churches are very much biblical…as long as they remain biblical. God Church Planting - http://www.redeemer2.com/rcpc/rcpc/ has given the church His Word, rightful authority to live in a community defined by the new covenant. As long as these remain—small, networked, organic churches are not

60 13 Ed Stetzer Dr. Ed Stetzer has planted churches in New York, Pennsylvania, and Georgia and transitioned declining churches in Indiana and Georgia. He has trained pastors and church planters on five continents, holds two masters degrees and two doctorates, and has written dozens of articles and books. Ed served for three years as seminary professor at the Southern Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky and has taught at 15 other seminaries. He is currently the Director of Lifeway Research and Lifeway’s Missiologist in Residence. http://www.newchurches.com/

61 Endnotes According to Mark Driscoll/Ed Stetzer Mark Driscoll, pastor of Mars Hill Church and president of the Acts 29 church 1 Emergent Village, (accessed September 27 2007); available from planting network3 follows the work of missiologist Ed Stetzer in his classification of http://www.emergentvillage.org/. the emerging church. Driscoll is an interesting case as he was very much involved 2 Eddie Gibbs and Ryan K. Bolger, Emerging Churches: Creating Christian in the late nineties with much of what became the Emerging Church movement. In Community in Postmodern Cultures (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2005), 43. the late nineties he was involved in something called the Young Leaders Network,

There are a good number of young (and not so young) leaders who some classify as “emerging” that really are just trying to make their worship,

62 11 1 world can be healed and changed, and so can we.” In their book Emerging Churches 8 Seeker churches would be represented by the Willow Creek Association and Eddie Gibbs and Ryan Bolger state how Pagitt categorize three responses to the current typically hold services for “seekers” where felt needs are the primary topic of preaching, religious symbols have been largely removed from worship and the cultural context: Sunday service plays host to drama and engaging musical performances. Bible teaching and the Lord ’s Supper typically take place in a midweek context for (1) a return to the Reformation (e.g., Mars Hill in Seattle); (2) deep systemic believers. Purpose Driven churches are patterned after the work of Rick Warren and Saddleback Community Church where specific target audiences are focused upon changes, but Christianity and the church are still in the center and theological with church growth principles and the church are built on four the “purposes” of changes are not needed (e.g., University Baptist Church in Waco and Mosaic worship, fellowship, discipleship, ministry, and missions. in Los Angeles); and (3) seeing the church as not necessarily the center of 9 Stetzer, (accessed).

10 63 14 Nancy Pearcey, Total Truth: Liberating Christianity from Its Cultural Captivity or where I am studying theology in my free (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 2004), 273-294. time. It is a Baptist institution after all. I will be 15 Robert Lewis and Rob Wilkins, The Church of Irresistible Influence (Grand Rapids, judged because I have not had a beer with Brian Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001). McLaren so I do not have the right to comment 16 See the excellent book John Perkins, With Justice for All (Ventura, CA: Regal on his very public words. I don’t care—I am a Books, 1982). pastor who cares both about the church and 17 Mark Driscoll, The Radical Reformission - Reaching out without Selling Out (Grand culture, about thoughtful engagement and the Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2004). See chapter 1, eat, drink and be a merry missionary. reality of eternity as described by Jesus Christ.

64 9 anymore—they sounded very much like some of the people I was reading in the emerging 22 Rob Bell, Velvet Elvis (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005), 26, 27. For a review conversation. So I listened. We had some long meetings talking about stuff and I listened of Bell’s book see Dale Van Dyke, Review: Velvet Elvis - Repainting the Christian Faith (accessed October 3 2007); available from http://www.reformation21.org/ some more. Past_Issues/2006_Issues_1_16_/2006_Issues_1_16_Shelf_LIfe/February_2006/ I began this thing called Inversion, a young adult ministry which started with a bunch February_2006/148/vobId__2030/pm__338/. of church people. I love the people of Inversion and they have become dear friends. I am 23 Brett Kunkle, Essential Concerns Regarding the Emerging Church (Stand to Reason, 2006, accessed September 25 2007); available from http://www. writing this primarily because I care for their vision of Jesus. I have followed the emerging str.org/site/DocServer/Essential_Concerns_Regarding_the_Emerging_Church. dialogue with some interest and on some days feeling like many in the conversation were pdf?docID=1441. Kunkle interacts mainly with Pagitts view from two books – Preaching Re-Imagined and Reimagining Spiritual Formation. my brothers, other days I hated the words I read. So, I guess I am pretty ambivalent about 24 D. A. Carson, Becoming Conversant with the Emerging Church: Understanding a all things emerging. Some things I find very helpful in the conversation and other things Movement and Its Implications (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2005), 188-199. I find horrendous. Yes, it is that polarized for me. I am no big player in the debate in that 25 John Frame, Certainty (accessed October 3 2007); available from http://www. I have not sought to write books on the subject, nor am I a conference hopper or trying to frame-poythress.org/frame_articles/2005Certainty.htm. be some big commentor on all the blogs. I have kept my head down in ministry, but slowly 26 Carson, 185. have come to some of my own thoughts within the dialogue. 27 Brian D. McLaren and Leadership Network (Dallas Tex.), The Story We Find Here is where I am—my theology is shaped by Scripture with a strong appreciation Ourselves In: Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian, 1st ed. (San for church history, hopefully with some humility in light of 2,000 years of Christian faith. Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003), 102. My heart is moved by Jesus’ mission with lost people and I see things through that grid. I 28 Ibid.

8 65 30 Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones, An Emergent Manifesto of Hope (Grand Rapids, Mich.: might miss the next wave, you better get with the new, new thing, sort of stuff. This led to Baker Books, 2007). reading more and discussing post-modernisms: in hermeneutics, critical theory, philoso- 31 Ibid., 191. Emphasis added phy, language, etc. I read essays by Rorty, Derrida, Foucault, et al. During this season I

66 7 It was at the end of my freshman year of college that I heard about the message of 41 Webber and others, 128. Jesus in the Bible. At the beginning of my sophomore year I began to follow Him. I 42 Kunkle, (accessed). was on a wrestling scholarship at UNC Chapel Hill and studying physics when Jesus 43 This phrase is the subtitle of Driscoll, The Radical Reformission - Reaching out started messing with my life. I could have cared less if a church sang hymns, choruses without Selling Out. or Christian rock stuff—to be honest I had never really heard much of it anyway. It did not matter to me whether a preacher wore a robe, a tie, flip flops or blue jeans. To be honest, church was weird for me culturally, but I was just happy to belong to Jesus. After college I married my best friend from UNC, Kasey Monroe, who I met as a soccer player for the big time UNC women’s team. She grew up Southern Baptist, so she knew that world. After our wedding we went on staff with Athletes in Action, the sports ministry with Campus Crusade for Christ. We spent most of our time working with non- Christians and Christians who cared to connect with non-Christians on their campus. My questioning nature and non-Christian background led me to the intellectual traditions of the faith and I soon loved to read philosophy, theology and the history of both. I just had so many questions and I needed to learn. As we were involved with campus ministry and young folks, I began to read websites such as theooze.com, faithmaps.com and next-wave.com and began hearing about “the new thing coming today.” Sometimes it went by “reaching Gen X” or “post-modern ministry.” Other times it was just a big complaining session about why the church sucked so badly. Usually it was we must change or die, we

6 67 Bibliography making up the Emerging Church conversation. I will then talk about some of the good and bad coming from the discussion and will do this using the terms deconstruction and Bell, Rob. Velvet Elvis. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2005. construction. Deconstruction is to take apart things we do, ask questions and propheti-

68 5 contemporary western Christianity. Some desire a revision of all things to fit the current Emergent Village accessed September 27 2007; Available from cultural milieu and ideas, others desire to pick fights—usually with Darwin or others http://www.emergentvillage.org/. who are navigating the hazy middle. Is that middle Frame, John. Certainty accessed October 3 2007; Available from http://www.frame- way a place of relevance with faithfulness? Or is it poythress.org/frame_articles/2005Certainty.htm. just another slow road to heresy? The conversation that lives under the names Gibbs, Eddie, and Ryan K. Bolger. Emerging Churches: Creating Christian Emerging (or emergent) Church is the story of Community in Postmodern Cultures. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2005. people who have taken up the task to try to be Grudem, Wayne. “Redemptive Movement Trumps Scripture“ In Evangelical the church in this era. There has been much Feminism, a New Path to Liberalism Wheaton: Crossway, 2006. deconstruction of “how we do church,” there has

4 69 Lewis, Robert, and Rob Wilkins. The Church of Irresistible Influence. Grand 20th century. Indeed, skepticism and rejection of certain ideas is as old as history, but Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Publishing House, 2001. today we have seen a change in our cultural beliefs and values which has come across at all levels of culture. So what is the church to do? Some Christians in every era simply McLaren, Brian. Everything Must Change: Jesus, Global Crises, and a Revolution of reinvent the faith to match the cultural ideas and sensibilities of the age. This was the Hope Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2007. case with 19th century liberal theology which did its best to put spiffy new clothes on McLaren, Brian. Willow Creek Arts Conference 2007 - Mclaren and Loveless 2007, Jesus and recreate Him for the scientific age. What was left was a nice man, who taught accessed http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vquwIObeOaA. nice things, whose followers invented fairy tales about him which were found “unac- ceptable to the modern scientific mind.” It was a Jesus that looked very much like his McLaren, Brian D., and Leadership Network (Dallas Tex.). The Story We creators, but very little like the Jesus of Scripture. Other Christians choose to fight, to Find Ourselves In : Further Adventures of a New Kind of Christian. 1st ed. separate from the world and loft bombs over walls towards non-Christian teaching and San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2003. lifestyles. Others have taken a path of engagement, living among new cultural ideas

70 3 Introduction Robinson, Jeff. Engaged by the Culture: Michigan Megachurch Goes Egalitarian One might say that the last decade or so has been a bit interesting in terms of Council for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood, September 27, 2004, evangelical Christianity and its relationship to culture and the future generations in the accessed October 3 2007; Available from http://www.cbmw.org/Blog/Posts/ West. It has been a time of soul searching dialogue and conversation about all manner Engaged-by-the-culture-Michigan-megachurch-goes-egalitarian. of issues. Many have realized that there have been immense cultural shifts in western Stetzer, Ed. Understanding the Emerging Church Baptist Press, 2006, accessed culture which have brought us to a new situation for the life of the church. Gone are the September 29 2007; Available from http://www.sbcbaptistpress.org/bpnews. days where the Christian faith was the dominant story in the common consciousness. asp?ID=22406. Gone are the days where it could be assumed that most people had their lives, or at least their literary lives, shaped by the stories and text of the Holy Bible. Gone are the days Stetzer, Ed. Church and Contemporary Culture—Always a Challenge Catalyst, when the gospel could be shared with the assumption that there were general shared 2007, accessed October 2 2007; Available from http://www.catalystspace. meanings with terms like God, sin, salvation, Jesus Christ and the kingdom of Heaven. com/content/monthly/detail.aspx?i=1198&m=01&y=2007. This is reality today in many western cultures. Europe and Australia are perhaps further Webber, Robert, John Burke, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt, Karen M. Ward, and Mark down this cultural trajectory, but America is not far behind in its popular conceptions Driscoll. Listening to the Beliefs of Emerging Churches: Five Perspectives. of Christian ideas. Parts of America, segments of the west coast and the northeast, are Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 2007. every bit as secular and post-Christian as Europe. What to do? Intellectuals have long seen these shifts coming, but ideas take time to arrive across Willard, Dallas. The Divine Conspiracy: Rediscovering Our Hidden Life in God. the horizons of the masses. Even longer to make it to populations who have valued cul- 1st ed. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1998. tural reclusion and isolation as much of the Christian subculture has since the early Note All Scripture quotations in this publication are from The English Standard Version (ESV) of The Holy Bible © Crossway Books.

2 71 Emerging Churches and the Gospel of Jesus Christ

For the Glory of God, the Good of the City, Extending Hope through the Gospel

Web: www.JacobsWellNJ.org Contact: [email protected]

By Reid S. Monaghan